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2016 Progress Report

USDA Rural Development

USDA Rural Development 2016 Progress Report | 3

USDA Rural Development has been a leader in providing the investments to address rural America’s economic challenges. From housing to renewable energy, essential community facilities to high-speed broadband, water systems to electric lines with smart grid technology—RD has helped prepare rural America for the 21st Century economy.

When I was sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture in January 2009, rural America was beginning to feel the devastating impact of the Great Recession. Rural counties were shedding 200,000 jobs per year, rural unemployment stood at nearly 10 percent, and poverty rates reached heights unseen in decades. Many rural communities were facing stagnant wages, outmigration, and a critical shortage of investment capital.

Over the course of the Obama Administration, USDA has made targeted Federal investments in rural areas to create jobs, generate economic opportunity, and strengthen rural communities. This Progress Report outlines how USDA Rural Development (RD) has invested in rural America’s remarkable comeback. Key economic indicators continue to show that rural America is rebounding. Rural unemployment has continued to decline, dropping below 6 percent in 2015 for the first time since 2007, and rural poverty rates have fallen. Median household incomes in rural areas increased by 3.4 percent in 2015, and rural populations have stabilized and are beginning to grow. Child food insecurity nationwide is at an all-time low.

USDA RD has been a leader in providing the investments to address rural America’s economic challenges. From housing to renewable energy, essential community facilities to high-speed broadband, water systems to electric lines with smart grid technology—RD has helped prepare rural America for the 21st century economy.

Since 2009, RD has helped 1.2 million rural Americans buy, refinance, or repair their homes, and it has helped ensure safe, affordable rental housing for hundreds of thousands of seniors, people with disabilities, farmworkers, and other low-income rural families. Six million rural Americans now have access to high-speed broadband, thanks to RD. We’ve invested $12 billion in more than 10,530 essential community projects like schools, hospitals, public safety facilities, and community centers. More than 107,000 rural businesses have received loans or grants, creating more than 791,000 jobs. Our water program has funded $13.9 billion for nearly 5,825 projects, providing safe water to 19.5 million rural residents.

RD is also responding to the heroin and prescription opioid crisis, making transitional housing available to rural Americans in recovery, funding telemedicine projects to improve access to treatment in remote areas, and supporting healthcare facilities, including mental healthcare centers. As an example, this report tells the story of how RD is helping the community of Harrington, DE, assist those in need of treatment begin the path to recovery.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication, innovation, and hard work of the men and women of USDA Rural Development. Together with our national office staff in Washington and St. Louis, our staff in RD offices across the country have been creative and effective partners with local lenders, community leaders, and small businesses. They are exemplary public servants who, in spite of workforce reductions, have been more productive in these past 8 years than at any time in the history of this Department. I am proud to serve with them.

The future of rural America looks much brighter today than when President Barack Obama took office. The results highlighted in this report demonstrate how long-term government investment and positive partnerships with public institutions are central to rural America’s continued progress.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. VilsackSecretary of Agriculture

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Rural America as a whole is seeing job and income growth for the first time since the Great Recession of 2008. We are also realizing a reverse in outmigration from rural areas and lower rates of poverty.

Thriving rural communities contribute to the prosperity of our entire Nation, and throughout the last 80 years, USDA Rural Development (RD) and its predecessor agencies have been committed to the success of rural America.

This year’s Progress Report is an opportunity to share the great work that RD has done, and I am proud of our accomplishments.

About 15 percent of the population—46 million people—are living in rural America. Rural America plays a key role in the national economy, producing food and other goods that are vital to the rest of the country. RD’s investments in infrastructure and agriculture help rural America grow, and that growth contributes to the prosperity of the entire Nation.

RD’s Rural Housing Service (RHS), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) have had many successes over the last year, and RD is committed to providing the financial support and technical expertise to help rural America thrive. This has been an historic year for Rural Development with record-breaking investments in our core programs in housing, utilities, and business.

As we look back, we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Rural Electrification Act, which brought power to the people of rural America. And looking forward to rural America’s next great infrastructure challenge, we also celebrated completing work on broadband projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects brought broadband access to nearly 6 million rural Americans’ homes, schools, and businesses. While we are proud of these efforts, we know that there is much more work to be done if we are to meet this challenge which is as critical to the 21st Century’s economy as electricity was to the 20th Century.

Thanks in part to the Recovery Act, Rural Development investments, and the hard work and resilience of her people, rural America as a whole is seeing job and income growth for the first time since the Great Recession of 2008. We are also realizing a reverse in outmigration from rural areas and lower rates of poverty. But too many rural communities have not yet fully shared in that recovery. There is more work to be done.

This year, building on place-based, economic development initiatives like StrikeForce and Promise Zones, we began a ground-breaking Community Facilities (CF) re-lending effort. In this innovative approach to economic development, we partnered with community-based financial organizations, private sector banks, and philanthropic organizations to make more than $400 million available for game-changing investments targeted to lift up America’s rural areas that have struggled to overcome persistent poverty. This long-term, low-interest rate financing will unlock rural communities’ economic potential. As we have seen from our CF direct loan program, which this year set an all-time record $2.2 billion in investments, improved rural communities’ education, healthcare, and public safety facilities serve as a catalyst for growth. These investments, like the $54.6 million loan to renovate the Fulton County Health Center in Wilmington, OH, not only provide critical access to life-saving medical care for rural residents, but they are also the hub around which a community can create jobs, attract homeowners, and build an economic future.

Since 2009, RHS helped more than 1.2 million rural families buy, refinance, and maintain homes with more than $155 billion in investments. Thanks to our partners in the private sector, the RHS guaranteed loan program has helped more rural families realize the dream of home ownership than in any other period in the Agency’s history. In 2016, RHS had its best year yet for the single family housing direct mortgage program, leaving no dollar unused. During the last fiscal year alone, RHS provided more than $19 billion to help about 140,000 families with modest incomes buy, finance, or repair their homes, all with an enviably low default rate.

RBS’s Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) also set records this year, providing rural businesses with guaranteed loan financing and grant funding for renewable energy systems and to make energy efficiency improvements for nearly 2,000 agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Encouraging energy independence for America’s small towns, using abundant, renewable natural resources, isn’t just fiscally sound, but it also helps communities do their part to ensure an environmentally secure future for our children. A recent $14 million REAP loan guarantee to North Carolina-based O₂ Energies is now producing enough solar energy to power 20 percent of all the homes in Mt. Airy. The REAP loan guarantee provided to North Carolina’s Surrey Bank and Trust gave the bank the confidence to try something new that has benefitted the entire community, creating jobs and encouraging investment at a time when it was needed the most.


RUS’s Water and Environmental Programs (WEP) provided a record $1.65 billion in funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage benefiting millions of rural Americans and their communities.

Through the Rural Alaska Village Grant program (RAVG), we have been able to address third-world sanitation conditions in rural Alaska. One example is in Lower Kalskag, Alaska, where an RD RAVG investment is constructing water and wastewater treatment facilities, and connecting the residents of Lower Kalskag to the system. By 2017, this nearly century-old settlement will have indoor plumbing for the very first time.

Since 2009, USDA has invested over $1 billion in more than 40,000 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects. Between 2009 and 2014, the number of Value-Added Producer Grants awarded to local food projects has also jumped by more than 500 percent. During the 2014-2015 funding cycle, USDA dedicated nearly $14 million, nearly half of the awarded funds, to 116 unique local food projects through this program.

In addition, we launched a microloan program in 2013 that has since financed over 18,000 farmers and ranchers in all 50 States with smaller loans of up to $50,000. Seventy percent of these loans have gone to beginning farmers and many sell locally.

This year, I joined community leaders and elected officials to celebrate the grand opening of the Sprout regional food hub and Growers and Makers Marketplace in Little Falls, MN. The food hub/market is bringing new sales opportunities for producers and increasing access to fresh, locally grown foods for customers, too. USDA Rural Development supported this regional initiative, and the planned food hub, through a $200,000 Rural Community Development Initiative grant. RD also provided the development commission with Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program funding that helped several area growers scale up production to meet the food hub demand. Today, 70 local growers already are selling their fresh, locally grown produce at the Sprout location in Little Falls.

Finally, I am pleased to report that RD made important operational enhancements and streamlined how we do business and better serve the people of rural America. We made important investments in our people, with improved training programs and additional personnel after years of reductions in areas that are critical to carrying out our mission of serving rural America. We engaged the public and won support for a rule to integrate the Nation’s environmental law to secure that the projects we fund protect the environmental quality of the communities we serve. Our Business & Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program expands opportunities for businesses and agricultural producers who provide fresh and local food for populations in rural and urban food deserts and expands eligibility for cooperatives with a cooperative stock purchase program. Our housing programs streamlined refinancing and reduced paperwork for homeowners and opened more opportunity to small, community banks and credit unions. We’ve improved our online functionality, from improving our website to making it easier to apply online for our programs. These improvements in how we do business will pay dividends down the road.

Growing up in rural Oregon, I learned that inspiration, innovation, hard work, and the promise of making a better life for our families and our communities are at the heart of rural America. You will find them in the men and women featured in this report. We’ve made great progress in fulfilling that promise this year and for years to come.

Sincerely,

Lisa MensahRural Development Under Secretary

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USDA Rural Development: Partners To Strengthen Our Rural Communities

For 8 years, the Obama Administration has empowered USDA Rural Development to deepen our investments across rural America on behalf of working families, small business owners, and other rural residents. We work to renew rural small town America by improving housing; businesses and job opportunities; schools, libraries, hospitals, and other public spaces; and the rural utilities infrastructure—the electric, phone, broadband, water, and sewer service—that all combine to make rural communities great places to live.

Today, USDA Rural Development’s investment portfolio is almost $216 billion; roughly equal to that of the Nation’s 14th largest bank. But the real power behind the success of our loan, grant, and technical assistance programs is our partnerships with other people and providers. We have entered into partnerships at all levels—from ones in Washington, D.C., like the White House Rural Council, to ones with rural foundations and our lending partners, to grassroots projects between local USDA Rural Development employees and hometown nonprofits, real estate agents, and home builders. These relationships allow us to extend the reach of our programs, leverage Federal funds with other resources, and help more rural residents than ever before.

Together, we are building lasting, sustainable prosperity for rural people through hundreds of thousands of development projects underway across rural America. And our partners are helping USDA Rural Development succeed in some of our most important work: directing assistance to persistent-poverty communities.

Poverty is a pervasive issue in rural America. Most Americans are probably familiar with conditions across rural Appalachia, or

with the economic, and social issues with which Native American communities continue to grapple. What’s less well known is that 85 percent of the Nation’s persistent-poverty counties are rural. Fortunately, under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, we have powerful tools in the fight to combat rural poverty and improve the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable rural citizens.

This report includes hundreds of examples of our partnerships transforming lives across rural America in 2016, including a wide array of critically needed projects in persistent-poverty communities. Leveraging our assistance with outside resources, we brought economic opportunity and better living to rural Americans. USDA Rural Development supported about 157,660 projects through more than $29.3 billion to help rural families, children, businesses, and small communities thrive.

Here’s a look at these partnerships and programs that address rural persistent poverty, and our results in FY 2016.


Promise Zones 1,104 families in rural or tribal Promise Zones assisted through $371 million in investments

Addressing Rural PovertyFiscal Year 2016

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Promise ZonesPresident Obama’s Promise Zone Initiative is a government-wide effort bringing USDA together with 19 other Federal agencies to target assistance to urban, rural, and tribal high-poverty communities. USDA is the lead for the rural and tribal Promise Zones, and currently supports eight such designated communities. In just 2 years, USDA has delivered more than $410 million in Federal investments to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and communities in southeastern Kentucky and South Carolina’s Low Country. In June 2016, the White House and USDA announced four new rural and tribal Promise Zones, including designations for eastern Puerto Rico, southwest Florida, North Dakota’s Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians in Washington State. This will allow USDA Rural Development to intensify partnering efforts and investments in the coming years in these regions and communities.


The power behind the success of our loan, grant, and technical assistance programs is our partnerships with other people and providers.

USDA Rural Development provided $25 million for a public water system in Oklahoma’s Ouachita Mountains which is providing safe, clean water to members of the Choctaw Nation and other residents. Pictured is a tribal member at aceremony celebrating the new water system.

StrikeForce More than $8.2 billion for 30,785 awards in high-poverty rural counties

Community Economic Development $2.1 million in investments for multi-jurisdictional or regional development projects


StrikeForce for Rural Growth and OpportunityIn 2010, USDA launched the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative to target additional assistance to rural America’s most impoverished and remote communities. Under this initiative, we work in partnership with residents of targeted communities to ensure access to our broad array of economic programs. Through StrikeForce, in FY 2016, USDA Rural Development invested more than $8.2 billion to assist high-poverty rural counties, using intensive outreach and strong partnerships with community organizations, businesses, foundations, and universities.

Additionally, in 2016, USDA expanded StrikeForce for a sixth time, announcing that additional counties in Florida, Missouri, Montana, and Ohio were eligible to receive intensive care through this initiative to fight persistent poverty.

Community Economic DevelopmentCommunity Economic Development (CED), a new USDA Rural Development effort, works to combat rural poverty and deliver assistance to rural places most in need of help to jump-start or sustain economic development. Most communities assisted through CED are in persistent-poverty counties. In 2016, Rural Development identified 261 target CED rural communities and invested a total of $2.1 billion in these areas. CED also administers a new program, authorized under Section 6025 of the 2014 Farm Bill, to fund multi-jurisdictional or regional development project plans helping high-poverty rural communities gain access to Rural Development funding opportunities. In 2016, 114 applicants were given this “Regional Development Priority” consideration, and received a combined total of about $86 million in assistance.


Community Facilities Re-LendingIn 2016, USDA Rural Development launched a new public/private partnership providing $400 million in low-interest loans to high-poverty rural communities through our Community Facilities program. The innovative approach with local and national partners, private-sector financial institutions, and philanthropic organizations provides another tool to help reduce poverty in some of the country’s poorest rural communities. Together we leverage funds to enable economically distressed rural places to build more essential community facilities like schools and healthcare centers.

Community facilities projects are typically multi-million-dollar, long-term infrastructure projects. In the past, many communities in high-poverty areas found it difficult to obtain loans because applicants are required to contribute a percentage of the project funds to qualify. This new partnership establishes a grant pool supported by philanthropic investment. Together with new authorities enabling more community-based lenders like CDFIs to act as re-lenders, this brings new opportunities to our Nation’s poorest rural areas for affordable financing to build essential facilities in the places where residents need them the most.

CDFIs bring new opportunities to our nation’s poorest rural areas for affordable financing to build essential facilities in the places where residents need them the most.

Community Facilities Re-Lending New $24 million Uplift America fund; $100 million in guarantees; and $400 million for CF re-lending

Addressing Rural PovertyFiscal Year 2016

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Investments Benefitting American Indians and Alaska NativesIn FY 2016, USDA Rural Development built upon its tradition of investing in tribal communities throughout Indian Country and Alaska. Rural Development invested more than $365 million through our housing, community facilities, utilities, business, and cooperative programs to support American Indians and Alaska Natives. Since 2009, the Obama Administration has invested more than $3.4 billion for tribal communities.

In FY 2016, the Agency began new training opportunities and partnerships to ensure that Rural Development continues to improve as a lending partner. For example, the Agency provided intensive training to housing programs staff on how to more effectively provide homeownership and home repair programs on tribal lands. Rural Development also partnered with the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and NeighborWorks® to host a gathering to improve homeownership opportunities on tribal lands. Rural Development is committed to doing more to support tribal community, economic, and infrastructure development.

Creating Efficiencies and Improving Customer ExperiencesUSDA Rural Development also has focused on streamlining internal operations and resources, improving technology, and making Rural Development more efficient. These efforts have both provided increased benefits to our external customers and partners and helped safeguard taxpayers’ funds.

USDA Rural Development debuted its new “RD Apply” online application system for Rural Utilities Service customers. RD Apply reduces paperwork, eliminates bottlenecks, and saves time and money for communities applying for USDA utilities program loans and grants. RD Apply will be expanded to all USDA Rural Development programs in the future as part of continuing efforts to modernize the Agency’s information technology infrastructure.

Additionally, Rural Development implemented President Obama’s Executive Order allowing people with limited English proficiency to access information about Federal programs. Information about how USDA Rural Development programs work and how to apply for them is now available in multiple languages, and oral and written translations are available free of charge to the public. The Minority Serving Institutions programs provided more than $300,000 in 2016 to hire interns from higher education institutions and universities that serve minority student populations. We expanded outreach to inform minority-servicing institutions about our programs, services, and employment opportunities, and outreach to Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved groups like socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

Rural Development continued to support small, local businesses through our procurement programs. In FY 2016, Rural Development purchased about $42 million in goods and services from small businesses, including ones owned by women or veterans, disadvantaged businesses, and suppliers from historically underused business zones.

Assistance to Tribal Nations More than $365 million on behalf of American Indians and Alaska Natives


Rural Development Programs FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals2009 - 2014 2015 2016 TOTAL

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARDB&I $8,646,185,491 3,154 $1,044,112,539 369 $1,293,094,571 379 $10,983,392,601 3,902IRP $140,051,476 281 $18,889,610 30 $18,888,486 31 $177,829,572 342Renewable Energy $837,323,073 13,003 $258,748,518 2,675 $309,584,453 1,967 $1,405,656,044 17,645Business Grants $237,663,032 3,403 $27,834,362 465 $27,924,417 496 $293,421,811 4,364REDLG $317,236,081 533 $47,860,985 70 $53,542,704 94 $418,639,770 697VAPG $99,645,571 762 $45,024,541 364 $45,887,556 329 $190,557,668 1,455SFH Direct $7,260,581,952 61,170 $900,735,248 7,077 $960,134,044 7,113 $9,121,451,244 75,360SFH Guaranteed $110,452,383,260 844,389 $18,623,238,191 134,254 $16,357,325,767 116,729 $145,432,947,218 1,095,372SFH Repairs $301,789,937 52,592 $44,123,370 7,238 $48,066,414 8,172 $393,979,721 68,002SFH Self-Help Grants $163,805,170 302 $32,226,125 74 $22,381,216 37 $218,412,511 413MFH Direct $591,956,134 993 $134,402,756 176 $129,494,764 161 $855,853,654 1,330MFH Guaranteed $587,219,238 419 $113,912,328 89 $186,935,103 119 $888,066,669 627Farm Labor Housing $215,576,640 211 $25,766,716 17 $47,831,637 31 $289,174,993 259Rental Assistance $5,686,546,891 55,832 $1,088,500,000 10,376 $1,389,694,997 12,643 $8,164,741,888 78,851CF Direct $6,283,278,175 3,361 $1,676,048,368 530 $2,200,000,000 656 $10,159,326,543 4,547CF Guaranteed $1,197,022,038 370 $135,455,969 25 $237,217,028 37 $1,569,695,035 432CF Grants $353,261,943 6,876 $30,059,622 769 $45,634,941 1,145 $428,956,506 8,790WWD Direct $7,438,488,659 4,330 $1,105,989,139 566 $1,203,999,301 617 $9,748,477,099 5,513WWD Guaranteed $78,192,904 36 $14,673,500 8 $7,118,000 5 $99,984,404 49WWD Grants $4,194,452,020 4,823 $517,825,144 860 $532,048,378 854 $5,244,325,542 6,537Telecom $6,648,768,361 1,420 $280,977,675 102 $244,257,230 130 $7,174,003,266 1,652Electric $31,027,049,827 862 $3,398,112,000 107 $3,915,750,000 91 $38,340,911,827 1,060All Other Programs $1,556,558,239 1,903 $189,225,302 4,488 $88,849,248 5,828 $1,834,632,789 12,219

GRAND TOTAL $194,315,036,112 1,061,025 $29,753,742,009 170,729 $29,365,660,255 157,664 $253,434,438,376 1,389,418

Data tables in the report reflect funding levels for USDA Rural Development programs as of Sept. 30, the close of each respective fiscal year. These figures can be subject to change based on de-obligations or other adjustments that may occur after the close of the fiscal year.

Rural Development Loan Portfolio as of September 30, 2016LOAN PORTFOLIO # OF LOANS AMOUNT OF PRINCIPAL OUTSTANDINGDirect PortfolioHousing and Community Facilities

Single Family Housing 276,832 $15,158,175,920Multi-Family Housing 24,088 $10,595,343,000Community Facility 5,855 $6,308,789,090Total Housing & Community Facilities 306,775 $32,062,308,010

UtilitiesWater & Waste 15,855 $12,467,062,392Electric 2,296 $41,790,907,601Telecommunications 1,224 $4,166,205,008Total Utilities 19,375 $58,424,175,001

Business and CooperativeBusiness Programs 27 $11,861,000RMAP 119 $31,510,931Intermediary Relending Program 1,062 $392,674,000Rural Economic Development 385 $189,057,488Total Business & Cooperative 1,593 $625,103,419

Total Direct Portfolio 327,743 $91,111,586,430Guaranteed Portfolio

Housing and Community FacilitiesSingle Family Housing 976,022 $116,340,991,082Multi-Family Housing 808 $945,413,594Community Facility 642 $1,216,602,246Total Housing & Community Facilities 977,472 $118,503,006,922

UtilitiesWater & Waste 84 $118,785,149Electric/Other 15 $179,079,342Total Utilities 99 $297,864,491

Business and CooperativeBusiness Programs 3,044 $6,073,216,365Total Business & Cooperative 3,044 $6,073,216,365

Total Guaranteed Portfolio 980,615 $124,874,087,778Total Loan Portfolio 1,308,358 $215,985,674,208



Key to Table Categories and AbbreviationsB&I Business and Industry Loan Guarantees

1

IRP Intermediary Relending ProgramRenewable Energy Renewable Energy Grants and Loans

2

Business Grants Rural Business Development GrantsREDLG Rural Economic Development Loans and GrantsVAPG Value-Added Producer GrantsSFH Direct Single-Family Housing Direct LoansSFH Guaranteed Single-Family Housing Loan GuaranteesSFH Repairs Single-Family Housing Repair Loans and GrantsSFH Self-Help Single-Family Housing Self-Help Technical Assistance GrantsMFH Direct Multi-Family Rural Rental Housing Direct LoansMFH Guaranteed Multi-Family Housing Loan GuaranteesFarm Labor Housing Farm Labor Housing Loans and GrantsRental Assistance Rental AssistanceCF Direct Community Facilities Direct LoansCF Guaranteed Community Facilities Loan GuaranteesCF Grants Community Facilities GrantsWWD Direct Water and Waste Disposal Direct LoansWWD Guaranteed Water and Waste Disposal Loan GuaranteesWWD Grants Water and Waste Disposal GrantsTelecom Telecom Loans and Grants3

Electric Electric Direct Loans and Loan GuaranteesOther Programs All other funding4

Supplemental Information1 For all loan guarantee programs, Rural Development backs the loans, which are made by private-sector lenders

that partner with USDA to participate in the programs.

2 Renewable energy awards include Rural Energy for America Program guaranteed loans and grants, Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program loans, and payments made under the Repowering Assistance and Advanced Biofuels Programs.

3 Telecom includes Farm Bill broadband loans, Recovery Act broadband loans, Community Connect grants, Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants, Public Television Digital Transition grants, Telecommunications Infrastructure loans, and 911 access loans.

4 Other programs refers to smaller scale programs: RHS Rural Housing Site Loans, Housing Application Packaging, Individual Water and Waste, Technical and Supervisory Assistance, Housing Preservation Grants, Multi-Family Housing Preservation and Revitalization Loans and Grants, and Tenant Vouchers; RBS Rural Business Investment and Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Programs, Rural Cooperative Development, Delta Health Care Services, and Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants; and RUS Bulk Fuel, High Energy Cost Grant, Rural Alaska Village Grant, and Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Programs.



Rural Housing Service: Creating Home for Families and Rural Community Organizations

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Housing Service (RHS) offers a variety of programs to build or improve housing and essential community facilities in rural areas. We offer loans, grants, and loan guarantees for single- and multi-family housing, child care centers, fire and police stations, hospitals, libraries, nursing homes, schools, first responder vehicles and equipment, housing for farmworkers, and much more. We also provide technical assistance loans and grants in partnership with nonprofit organizations, federally recognized tribes, State and Federal government agencies, and local communities. We and our partners are working together to ensure that rural America continues to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Single-Family Housing ResultsIn FY 2016, RHS invested $17.3 billion to help more than 132,000 families with modest incomes buy, refinance, or repair their homes through our direct and guaranteed single-family housing loan programs, including 33,900 low- and very low-income borrowers. Since 2009, RHS has invested $154.9 billion to support rural homeownership, helping more than 1.2 million rural families buy, refinance, and maintain their homes.

This year, USDA celebrated the many nonprofits, community organizations, real estate agents, lenders, and philanthropic partners that work with USDA to help people succeed at homeownership. During Homeownership Month, RHS held more than 250 events across the country that recognized these essential third-party partner organizations that make many of our programs possible year after year.

This year was also the 25th anniversary of the Single-Family Housing Home Loan Guarantee Program. USDA has helped more than 1.5 million people buy homes through traditional lenders since the inception of the program. In 2016 alone, USDA helped about 116,720 people buy homes through this flagship program.

Christy Carr worked closely with USDA Rural Development to improve her credit. In 2016, she qualified for a USDA loan for a home to share with her five sons in Ohio. USDA photo by Lori McCoy.

Rural Housing ServiceFiscal Year 2016


Single-Family Housing Over 132,000 families served Over $17.3 billion to build, repair, and refinance


Community Facilities Over 13,590 million rural residents served $2.5 billion to build, equip, and modernize

Multi-Family Housing ResultsIn FY 2016, RHS helped about 13,590 families by building or renovating almost 500 multi-family housing apartment complexes in rural areas through nearly $400 million in direct loans, guaranteed loans, and grants. Additionally, RHS provided $1.4 billion in 2015 for rental assistance to help 306,970 very-low- and low-income rural families pay their rent. Since 2009, RHS has invested $11.3 billion to offer rental housing opportunities to rural families, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and farm workers and their families.

In Calistoga, CA, the Calistoga Family Apartments opened its doors to 48 farmworker families. Construction of the complex was partially funded by a $3 million Farm Labor Housing Program grant. This affordable farmworker housing development is tailored for the men and women who work in Napa Valley’s fields and their families. Rental assistance is also available to lower tenants’ monthly costs, ensuring their homes remain affordable.

This development is making a difference in the environment, too. One of the few Zero Net Energy farm labor housing complexes in the Nation, the complex is

designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum standards, generating its own energy through solar panels. The payoff is utility bills averaging around 5 dollars a month for families living there. In drought-stricken California, water savings are equally important, and these apartments received WaterSense certification for the use of low-flow fixtures and drought-tolerant landscaping. There is a learning curve with all these features, so the property offers tenants ongoing education programs to help them take full advantage of the savings.

Community Facilities ResultsIn FY 2016, RHS served more than 26.4 million rural residents through $2.5 billion in Community Facilities direct loans, guaranteed loans, and grants to develop essential community facilities such as hospitals, healthcare clinics, schools, police and fire stations, food banks, and community centers. Since the start of the Obama Administration in 2009, the Agency has improved the quality of life for rural residents by investing $12 billion in more than 10,530 community infrastructure projects.

This year, USDA Rural Development created the Community Facilities Re-lending option, which allows intermediary community-based lenders to receive Community Facility Program Direct Loans for the purpose of relending to build, acquire, renovate, or rehabilitate essential community facilities. Community Facilities awarded 26 organizations loans totaling more than $400 million to re-lend in areas of persistent poverty.

This year, Tennessee Wesleyan University (TWU) received a $20.6 million USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Loan to construct a 30,000-square-foot student life building, improve other buildings on campus, renovate parking lots, and refinance a portion of the university’s debt. The student life building, which will be named “Colloms Campus Center,” will provide improved activity and event space, student services, and student affairs staff offices. Building improvements include roof replacement and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) installation. More information about the benefits of this project is on page 60 of the report.


Multi-Family Housing Nearly 307,000 families served $359.8 million to build, renew, and refinance


Energy Assistance Over 1,900 energy projects supported $309 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency

Rural Business-Cooperative Service: Rural America’s Leader for Business and Job Growth Opportunities

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) offers assistance to support business development and job training opportunities for rural residents. Our programs provide the capital, technical support, educational opportunities, and entrepreneurial skills to give rural residents the boost they need to start and grow businesses or get jobs in new and emerging markets. RBS financial assistance over the past 8 years has helped more than 107,000 businesses and created or saved a total of nearly 791,000 jobs in rural America.

RBS is on the front line in the fight against rural poverty, helping rural businesses through loan and grant programs, supporting job creation, and assuming lead roles in place-based and poverty-targeting initiatives such as StrikeForce and Promise Zones. RBS directed about 60 percent of our nearly $1.3 billion of investments in high poverty areas through these place-based efforts in 2016. RBS also conducted training sessions and webinars for community employees and leaders to arm them with tools to plan projects, compete for RBS funds, and leverage other capital options.

During Fiscal Years (FY) 2009-2016, RBS invested more than $11.5 billion in rural businesses through direct loan and loan guarantee programs, including $1.2 billion in FY 2016. Through our grant programs, RBS provided an additional $1 billion in support to rural businesses during that same period, with more than $84 million invested in FY 2016.

Creating Jobs in Rural AmericaIn 2016, RBS investments helped more than 7,000 businesses, creating or saving about 37,190 jobs across rural America. For example, RBS partnered with Girard National Bank to provide a Business & Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan of $3.4 million to Manzer Family Medicine, LLC, in Galena, KS. Manzer Family Medicine serves a high-poverty, low-income area in Kansas. The firm will use the B&I Guaranteed Loan to acquire real estate, helping a rural healthcare provider maintain its clinic and urgent care facilities, and saving or creating a total of 25 jobs.

The Muskingum County Business Incubator, in Zanesville, OH, received an $85,000 Rural Business Development Grant to purchase equipment to automate its food manufacturing process.

Rural Business-Cooperative ServiceFiscal Year 2016

With the help of the grant, the incubator was able to help seven businesses and create or save a total of 96 jobs across four counties in Ohio, including two StrikeForce counties.

Of the funds that RBS awarded in FY 2016, $320 million were delivered in StrikeForce counties supporting the creation of more than 10,000 jobs. Crawford Electric Cooperative received a $1 million Rural Economic Development Loan to help East Central College create a workforce development training facility on its campus in Union, MO. The facility will provide manufacturing job training to support workers and businesses in an eight-county region served by the college.

Investing in America’s Clean Energy Economy Through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), RBS helps farmers, ranchers, and rural business owners save money on their energy bills, cut carbon pollution, and convert to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy. RBS’s REAP provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.

REAP is another tool that RBS is using to direct additional support to rural residents in economically distressed areas. For instance, in 2016, RBS approved a conditional commitment for a $5 million REAP Guaranteed Loan for Estil Solar II, LLC, in the South Carolina Low Country Promise Zone. Estil Solar will use the funds to assist Low Country farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses develop renewable energy systems or make energy-efficiency upgrades to their operations.


Business Assistance Over 15,000 rural businesses assisted $1.8 billion for business startup, expansion


Co-op Assistance Over 380 ag projects supported $61 million to grow co-ops and other businesses in the agricultural, energy, and healthcare sectors

Energy Assistance Over 1,900 energy projects supported $309 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency

Rural Business-Cooperative Service: Rural America’s Leader for Business and Job Growth Opportunities

Elsewhere, USDA awarded the Shuqualak Lumber Company, in Noxubee, MS, with a $54,000 REAP grant to support lighting upgrades from high-intensity discharge to Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting. The project is expected to reduce the lumber mill’s energy expenditure by over 894,000 kilowatt hours per year and save the company about $75,000 annually. The mill is located in Noxubee County, one of the persistent-poverty counties receiving intensive care from USDA though the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative.

Providing Support to CooperativesCooperatives are key to the vitality of rural economies. They offer an alternative business model for those looking to organize and improve their communities, particularly in remote rural areas. RBS has trained more than 1,000 stakeholder groups—including many minority producers and minority-owned businesses—on food system issues, business development, governance/leadership, and financial management. RBS invests in cooperatives through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program.

USDA awarded Texas Rural Cooperative Center (TRCC) with an RCDG of almost $199,400 to provide training and technical assistance to cooperatives across south Texas and New Mexico. TRCC serves 33 counties—25 of which are StrikeForce counties with the greatest number of impoverished rural Colonias in the Nation. With the help of the RCDG grant, TRCC will help 23 businesses, including 10 cooperatives, and create or save a total of 65 jobs.

RBS’s Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program supports agriculture producers and cooperative businesses. Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative in Clinton, AR, received a VAPG of about $239,370 to help the co-op increase its processing capacity and build profitable markets for small-holder farms. The USDA investment will support Grass Roots in its efforts to provide opportunities for socially disadvantaged, veteran, and beginning farmers.

Central City, NE, has a “solar garden,” the first solar-powered community garden in the State. USDA provided Rural Energy for America Program grants to help purchase the solar array. This innovative system produces enough energy to power 24 homes per year. Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Sam Rikkers (far left) visited the solar garden in August 2016.


Cross Agency Collaboration and Multi-Jurisdictional PlanningBy coordinating programs, we can promote collaboration at the regional level among Federal, State, local, and regional entities and promote more effective use of funds in a fiscally constrained environment. Coordinated investment can also encourage investment from private sources, increasing the resources available for development. For instance, through the Promise Zone Initiative, USDA collaborates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and 18 other Federal agencies to provide resources and expertise to high-poverty communities.

Today, RBS partners with eight rural and tribal Promise Zones and has delivered over $410 million in Federal investments to the Choctaw Nation, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Southeastern Kentucky and South Carolina Low Country in just 2 years.

Since being named a tribal Promise Zone in 2014, Choctaw Nation has secured close to $100 million in Federal investments. These funds have supported a new Community Center, a Food Distribution Center, and a Head Start program. The Choctaw Nation also initiated a far-reaching effort to promote sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.

In FY 2016, RBS led the coordination, planning, and implementation of section 6025 of the Agricultural Act of 2014: Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD). This program emphasizes multi-jurisdictional projects. A number of RBS programs also include set-asides for StrikeForce counties, Promise Zones, and other high-poverty areas. In 2016, approximately $316 million was dedicated to SECD projects from USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities, Water and Waste Disposal, RBDG, and B&I Guaranteed Loan programs.

RBS Program ResultsIn FY 2016, RBS helped more than 15,000 rural businesses through $1.8 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and grants. RBS has a proven track record of assisting America’s rural businesses by increasing and improving access to training, technical, assistance, and capital. We also boost long-term competitiveness by helping ensure that small business owners and entrepreneurs can take advantage of new opportunities and new markets as the economy grows. Together with its partners, RBS is making a real, lasting impact on rural America.

Local Foods Assistance Over 350 producers, others assisted $112 million for local and regional food systems


Rural Utilities Service: Partnering With Utility Providers To Build Infrastructure and Community

Electric ProgramsUSDA Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) provides capital for rural energy efficiency projects that help conserve energy, save money on energy bills, and boost local rural economies. The high costs of energy-saving improvements often prevent business and residential utility customers from installing them. RUS offers two programs that help make such improvements more affordable. In June 2016, RUS announced the availability of up to $52 million in loans through its new Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP). RESP helps rural energy providers fund energy efficiency improvements for residential and business customers. RESP borrowers finance loans at zero percent interest for up to 20 years. Their customers repay the loans at an interest rate of up to 3 percent for up to 10 years through their electric bills.

RUS also administers a similar Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program (EECLP) that started in 2014. EECLP helps consumers reduce energy bills through energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems.

In 2016, RUS approved a $68 million EECLP loan to Pedernales Electric Cooperative to make low-interest financing available to consumers for investments in efficiency and renewable energy, including installation of smart meters, solar panels, and battery storage systems. Smart grid technologies and demand side management investments, including vehicle charging stations, will be available for small municipal distribution utilities.

Rural Utilities ServiceFiscal Year 2016

North Carolina’s Roanoke Electric Cooperative, one of the first utilities to receive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Loan Program financing, used a $6 million loan to launch its “Upgrade to Save” energy efficiency program in 2014. Here a local technician in Roanoke is installing insulation in the attic for one of the electric co-op’s residential customers.


The high costs of energy-saving improvements often prevent business and residential utility customers from installing them. RUS offers two programs that help make such improvements more affordable.

Electric Utilities Over 5.47 million rural customers served $3.9 billion for utility system upgrades, improvements

USDA Rural Development 2016 Progress Report | 17 USDA Rural Development 2016 Progress Report | 17 USDA Rural Development 2016 Progress Report | 17 USDA Rural Development 2016 Progress Report | 17

Telecommunications Facilities Over 79,000 rural subscribers served $234 million for telecommunications and broadband service

Water and Waste Disposal Systems Over 2.24 million rural residents served $1.65 billion for safe water and sanitary waste systems

Telecommunications ProgramsEach year, RUS’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program helps more rural communities improve their access to healthcare and educational services. Since 2009, RUS has provided $240 million for more than 730 DLT projects in rural areas.

DLT-funded equipment for educational opportunities and medical care provides services often unavailable in rural areas, helping communities better meet the needs of their residents. Telemedicine is an effective tool for treating patients when experts are not available locally, and distance learning brings opportunities that were not previously available to rural students. Rural residents across the country benefit from this new technology, made available by RUS assistance. In 2016, USDA led the Federal interagency effort to address the opioid crisis, which is especially serious in rural areas. Increased access to healthcare and substance misuse treatment was a significant focus of the latest 81 DLT projects helping connect rural communities with offsite medical and educational experts.

For example, the Southern Hills Counseling Center in Jasper, IN, is using a $73,000 grant for a telemedicine system to improve the availability of mental health services in several remote Indiana

counties. The network will give rural healthcare professionals the ability to connect in real-time with urban mental health specialists. Additionally, the counseling center will be able to connect to rural hospitals for psychiatric diagnoses and to support emergency care.

DLT projects rely on broadband service, which is still lacking in almost 40 percent of rural areas. To help spur the deployment of rural broadband, employees of RUS and the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) serve as co-chairs of the Broadband Opportunities Council (BOC), set up in 2015, which includes 25 Federal Agencies and Departments.

Water and Environmental ProgramsWithout RUS’s Water and Environmental programs (WEP), many small rural communities nationwide would lack access to safe water. Since 2009, WEP has funded $13.9 billion for nearly 5,825 projects, providing safe water to 19.5 million rural residents.

WEP is also meeting USDA Rural Development’s mission to assist underserved and economically challenged communities by working to increase the number of Special

Evaluative Assistance Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) grants awarded to underserved and high poverty areas, many of which have high minority populations.

SEARCH grants of up to $30,000 fund pre-development feasibility studies, design assistance, and technical assistance to help small, financially distressed communities in rural areas. This assistance enables them to develop plans and funding applications for proposed water and waste disposal projects. The grants are available to communities with populations of 2,500 or fewer. In the last 5 years, WEP has invested $10.5 million in SEARCH grants, and $3.4 million in pre-planning grants for rural communities.

To date, 68 SEARCH grants in 26 States have resulted in fully obligated projects to improve water and waste disposal treatments systems, delivering much-needed services to our most vulnerable rural communities. In all, during Fiscal Year 2016, USDA funded 932 projects. Approximately 84 percent of the loan and grant dollars awarded in FY 2016 are bringing services to communities with populations less than 5,000.


State-by-State Results

AlabamaBusiness and Local Foods Programs

National Guard Armory Reborn As Business Incubator The National Guard Armory in Linden, AL, was a local icon for 25 years. But the National Guard Armory announced plans to close the Linden armory in 2012.

The armory could have become a vacant eyesore in this small rural community, but community leaders and elected officials developed a plan to save it by converting it into a small business incubator. Today, thanks to a partnership between community leaders, elected officials, local businesses, and government agencies, the armory has been reborn as the Marengo County Business Development Center. It includes a small business incubator, a community auditorium, office space, and an agri-business incubator supporting local foods projects.

Marengo County is a persistent-poverty area receiving targeted assistance from USDA under the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative. USDA Rural Development in Alabama provided the Marengo County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) with a $40,000 Rural Business Development Grant for commercial food processing and cold storage equipment. Deep

South Food Alliance—part of the agri-business incubator—provides technical assistance and makes the equipment available to small, family farmers to process and package their locally grown produce. The added value is helping these growers boost retail sales. MCEDA, USDA, and other partners also helped neighboring rural community, Thomaston, AL, open a local grocery store. Thomaston had been a “food desert” without a local grocery for almost 20 years.

Businesses at the new center are also increasing job opportunities for local residents. MCEDA and Marengo County Extension Service (both headquartered at the center), provide technical assistance to business incubator clients. Alabama Southern Community College uses the center as a third site for its Alabama Industrial Development Training Ready-to-Work Program.

2009 - 2014 2015 2016 TOTALAMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD

B&I $171,187,634 53 $27,160,100 7 $18,596,800 5 $216,944,534 65IRP $1,171,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,171,000 4Renewable Energy $3,420,126 72 $1,905,139 59 $1,033,613 46 $6,358,878 177Business Grants $5,057,423 57 $703,000 9 $766,000 11 $6,526,423 77REDLG $4,640,000 11 $0 0 $1,300,000 2 $5,940,000 13VAPG $559,773 6 $664,000 4 $542,000 3 $1,765,773 13SFH Direct $123,836,493 1,154 $17,752,898 156 $17,460,193 155 $159,049,584 1,465SFH Guaranteed $2,663,551,241 21,899 $447,382,138 3,672 $420,392,031 3,311 $3,531,325,410 28,882SFH Repairs $9,873,835 1,629 $1,826,123 277 $1,042,141 177 $12,742,099 2,083SFH Self-Help Grants $333,916 1 $0 0 $333,916 1 $667,832 2MFH Direct $8,885,932 10 $4,528,388 7 $0 0 $13,414,320 17MFH Guaranteed $2,493,000 4 $1,729,000 1 $897,000 2 $5,119,000 7Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $158,206,432 1,720 $29,314,560 316 $36,952,709 400 $224,473,701 2,436CF Direct $27,538,432 60 $23,479,100 15 $56,572,300 14 $107,589,832 89CF Guaranteed $9,360,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $9,360,000 1CF Grants $4,522,613 76 $534,334 20 $860,438 24 $5,917,385 120WWD Direct $116,590,087 87 $8,166,850 7 $14,538,000 12 $139,294,937 106WWD Guaranteed $1,260,630 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,260,630 1WWD Grants $65,660,623 61 $7,529,580 15 $9,306,500 23 $82,496,703 99Telecom $60,383,255 19 $1,267,197 3 $454,701 2 $62,105,153 24Electric $351,959,000 11 $115,884,000 1 $111,161,000 3 $579,004,000 15All Other Programs $91,699,731 32 $393,572 35 $627,089 40 $92,720,392 107

ALABAMA TOTAL $3,882,191,176 26,968 $690,219,978 4,604 $692,836,431 4,231 $5,265,247,586 35,803

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met with local farmers at the agri-business incubator. Here, a grower shows him some of their locally grown produce prepared and packaged for sale.

Alabama Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


AlaskaBusiness Programs

Improving Access to Remote Alaskan VillagesAlaska is vast. Thousands of residents live in sparsely populated communities only accessible by air or water. In northwestern Alaska, dozens of Alaska Native villages rely on air transportation for commerce. Bering Air, Inc., provides access to 32 communities in western Alaska from the company’s hubs in Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet—some of the most remote and economically challenged areas of the State.

Partnering with Alaska Growth Capital, Bering Air used a $10.5 million USDA Business & Industry Loan Guarantee to purchase six new Cessna Caravan aircraft. The planes have increased horsepower for shorter take-offs, faster climbs, and higher cruising speeds. They also provide for an increased payload capacity and state-of-the-art avionics systems.

Ensuring access to fresh food, medical services, equipment, and supplies, and the ability to move between rural communities and


B&I $83,315,166 56 $24,502,677 13 $19,429,990 7 $127,247,833 76IRP $1,350,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,350,000 3Renewable Energy $1,678,506 82 $730,209 14 $377,926 6 $2,786,640 102Business Grants $3,840,307 37 $417,552 4 $138,000 3 $4,395,859 44REDLG $300,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $300,000 1VAPG $272,538 3 $48,150 1 $0 0 $320,688 4SFH Direct $73,877,661 422 $11,384,806 58 $20,032,055 93 $105,294,522 573SFH Guaranteed $393,606,054 2,026 $102,667,747 460 $92,523,399 406 $588,797,200 2,892SFH Repairs $889,872 113 $260,950 34 $228,261 34 $1,379,083 181SFH Self-Help Grants $2,529,822 5 $53,690 1 $476,000 1 $3,059,512 7MFH Direct $2,950,000 1 $0 0 $575,000 1 $3,525,000 2MFH Guaranteed $10,450,000 7 $0 0 $1,400,000 1 $11,850,000 8Farm Labor Housing $93,602 1 $0 0 $0 0 $93,602 1Rental Assistance $30,731,616 146 $5,182,548 27 $6,349,455 35 $42,263,619 208CF Direct $86,611,200 20 $176,393,000 21 $425,500 1 $263,429,700 42CF Guaranteed $10,200,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $10,200,000 3CF Grants $5,826,470 62 $124,900 3 $398,700 7 $6,350,070 72WWD Direct $1,716,000 2 $339,000 3 $1,727,101 5 $3,782,101 10WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $227,764,635 200 $26,352,006 34 $37,214,444 41 $291,331,085 275Telecom $149,408,539 40 $3,756,743 7 $1,430,576 4 $154,595,858 51Electric $432,351,000 7 $0 0 $16,462,000 1 $448,813,000 8All Other Programs $47,113,928 31 $4,752,716 9 $4,248,828 11 $56,115,472 51

ALASKA TOTAL $1,566,876,916 3,268 $356,966,694 689 $203,437,235 657 $2,127,280,844 4,614

urbanized areas like Fairbanks and Anchorage, Bering Air provides a valuable service, one that is considered critical for the continued survival of these remote Native Alaskan villages. Help for local enterprises like Bering Air, which meet the unique needs of rural places, is a shining example of how USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities.

A USDA Rural Development loan guarantee helped Bering Air buy six new Cessna planes to continue transporting people and goods to and from remote Native villages in western Alaska. Photo courtesy Textron Aviation.

Alaska Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


ArizonaWater and Environmental Programs

Safe Water for Remote Communities on the Navajo NationIt’s said that no one pays attention to water until the well is dry. Native American tribes have been paying attention for quite some time now.

On the Navajo Nation, America’s largest reservation, access to clean water has been an ongoing struggle. Nearly 40 percent of all Navajo people in this Arizona high desert region live without running water. Hauling water is not only time-consuming but also tedious work, especially for the elderly in remote areas. On average, tribal members that live on the Navajo reservation use 7 gallons per person per day to drink, cook, bathe, and clean. The average American uses about 100 gallons.

USDA Rural Development is partnering with Navajo Nation tribal leaders to mitigate these water quantity and quality issues. To date, USDA has invested nearly $14 million to improve the tribe’s water and waste treatment systems over the past 4 years. Of this amount, $8 million was provided as grants—an important consideration given that 43 percent of Navajo people live below the poverty line.

Recently, USDA Rural Development officials in Arizona traveled to Lower Greasewood on the Navajo Nation to announce $5.72 million in loans and grants to upgrade the water systems for Ganado, Lower Greasewood, and Dilkon—remote communities on the Navajo Nation. The original systems were built during the 1970s and 1980s, and the harsh conditions have taken a toll on them. Many of the wells were taken out of service due to water quality issues, including high arsenic concentrations.

The project, a partnership between USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will replace failing pipes and infrastructure, drill new wells, and construct a new treatment facility.


B&I $128,138,698 49 $29,563,000 6 $25,695,000 8 $183,396,698 63IRP $488,000 2 $415,000 1 $0 0 $903,000 3Renewable Energy $6,721,388 78 $6,191,939 17 $1,513,105 12 $14,426,432 107Business Grants $3,606,502 42 $890,950 9 $1,047,701 12 $5,545,153 63REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $248,706 3 $546,594 4 $841,158 5 $1,636,458 12SFH Direct $105,291,939 990 $16,290,960 135 $15,392,665 122 $136,975,564 1,247SFH Guaranteed $2,286,239,223 17,382 $278,000,028 1,883 $219,205,022 1,450 $2,783,444,273 20,715SFH Repairs $4,653,919 681 $639,270 105 $638,209 100 $5,931,399 886SFH Self-Help Grants $10,380,813 17 $1,823,549 4 $2,013,493 3 $14,217,855 24MFH Direct $2,961,922 7 $0 0 $50,000 1 $3,011,922 8MFH Guaranteed $6,615,371 8 $2,400,000 2 $3,265,000 2 $12,280,371 12Farm Labor Housing $726,911 3 $0 0 $0 0 $726,911 3Rental Assistance $80,369,796 545 $16,502,496 104 $18,802,452 123 $115,674,744 772CF Direct $70,435,907 26 $26,401,000 5 $17,999,100 4 $114,836,007 35CF Guaranteed $26,840,296 9 $0 0 $0 0 $26,840,296 9CF Grants $2,894,142 42 $133,400 3 $377,000 4 $3,404,542 49WWD Direct $36,538,436 17 $2,005,000 1 $3,604,000 3 $42,147,436 21WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $94,852,907 277 $8,081,435 51 $12,076,892 19 $115,011,234 347Telecom $46,422,167 25 $0 0 $205,052 1 $46,627,219 26Electric $488,204,742 9 $0 0 $39,135,000 2 $527,339,742 11All Other Programs $3,601,210 21 $456,234 31 $843,102 31 $4,900,546 83

ARIZONA TOTAL $3,406,232,995 20,233 $390,340,855 2,361 $362,703,952 1,902 $4,159,277,802 24,496

A tree struggles to survive outside an abandoned trading post bearing a prophetic message near St. Michaels on the Navajo Nation.

Arizona Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


ArkansasEnergy Programs

USDA and Partners Help Launch Arkansas’s Largest Solar Farm Ironically, it was cloudy and a little rainy on the day the switch was to be turned on. But now the sun is shining on the largest solar farm ever built in Arkansas: a $32 million, 12 MW (megawatt) solar array sited on 100 acres in the Camden, AR, Highland Industrial Park.

USDA Rural Development provided a $500,000 Rural Energy for America Program grant for the solar farm, which was also financed through Federal and State tax credits and other private funding sources. Silicon Ranch Corporation developed the project in partnership with Ouachita Electric Cooperative Corporation, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, and Southern Arkansas University Tech. The zero-emission solar project was developed to provide clean energy to aerospace and defense company Aerojet Rocketdyne, which has facilities in the industrial park. Any excess power generated that Aerojet Rocketdyne doesn’t need is used by Arkansas Electric Co-op for its customers.

More than 150,000 solar panels soak up the sun’s rays and feed energy into the electric utility substation next to the solar

farm. The clean energy is helping Aerojet Rocketdyne meet its sustainability goals, and helping Arkansas Electric Co-op meet its carbon reduction targets. The energy produced by this solar farm is equivalent to powering about 2,400 homes for an entire year.

This innovative project has received national recognition. Novogradac & Company, LLP, honored it with a Renewable Energy Power Award for Financial Innovation because of the positive financial impact the project made on Camden, a small rural, underserved community. The project is a stepping stone for future solar investments in Arkansas.


B&I $124,451,907 36 $9,217,000 3 $2,499,000 2 $136,167,907 41IRP $1,344,000 4 $0 0 $1,349,484 2 $2,693,484 6Renewable Energy $8,330,880 186 $762,710 18 $820,690 21 $9,914,280 225Business Grants $4,307,703 39 $461,760 8 $486,000 6 $5,255,463 53REDLG $500,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $500,000 1VAPG $313,000 5 $249,488 2 $513,369 3 $1,075,857 10SFH Direct $149,254,981 1,579 $13,619,394 129 $14,642,974 141 $177,517,349 1,849SFH Guaranteed $2,622,216,869 24,239 $366,935,387 3,297 $372,971,329 3,268 $3,362,123,585 30,804SFH Repairs $7,323,022 1,279 $717,396 124 $911,855 147 $8,952,273 1,550SFH Self-Help Grants $8,159,682 26 $677,576 3 $1,139,669 2 $9,976,927 31MFH Direct $3,043,805 3 $0 0 $857,085 1 $3,900,890 4MFH Guaranteed $3,845,391 3 $0 0 $2,251,000 2 $6,096,391 5Farm Labor Housing $3,885,000 43 $328,000 2 $359,000 3 $4,572,000 48Rental Assistance $117,596,824 1,378 $22,209,936 266 $26,658,765 320 $166,465,525 1,964CF Direct $82,653,000 39 $0 0 $46,585,000 9 $129,238,000 48CF Guaranteed $4,000,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $4,000,000 3CF Grants $14,996,739 372 $1,310,069 39 $1,515,700 45 $17,822,508 456WWD Direct $154,542,100 154 $20,548,000 18 $23,125,700 18 $198,215,800 190WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $107,123,177 128 $9,982,000 19 $9,812,100 17 $126,917,277 164Telecom $279,772,555 45 $25,744,925 3 $10,254,641 7 $315,772,121 55Electric $1,657,060,000 29 $147,590,000 4 $21,692,000 1 $1,826,342,000 34All Other Programs $1,811,245 26 $2,264,743 28 $207,110 32 $4,283,098 86

ARKANSAS TOTAL $5,356,531,880 29,617 $622,618,384 3,963 $538,652,471 4,047 $6,517,802,735 37,627

Arkansas’s largest solar farm is providing power to a technology company in the same Camden, AR, industrial park where it is located. Surplus power is also helping meet other residential customers’ electricity needs.

Arkansas Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


CaliforniaCommunity Programs

Food for the Less Fortunate in Rural Southern CaliforniaCalifornia’s Coachella Valley may conjure images of music festivals, resort hotels, and famous golf courses, but there’s another side to the region. Amidst the luxury of wealthy communities like Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage, USDA Rural Development focuses its efforts to address the poverty of small communities like Thermal and Mecca.

Even with the poverty, there’s a beacon of light shining bright in Mecca, and it’s known as the Galilee Center. Led by Gloria Gomez and Claudia Castorena, Galilee Center works to improve the lives of farmworkers and other low-income families living throughout the eastern Coachella Valley by providing food, clothing, and other basic needs.

“Our beginnings are humble,” explained Castorena. “We started in the summer of 2010 offering food baskets to local families under the shade of a tree. We expected about 40 families, but instead 100 arrived. We didn’t have an office; we didn’t have anything, but every Thursday for 2 years, we showed up to provide food to families.”

In 2012, a 21,000-square-foot building in downtown Mecca was donated to the organization. Although spacious, it needed major improvements to be useable. With support from the County of Riverside, countless private donors, and a $246,000 by USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities program, the Galilee Center

has spent the past 4 years transforming their vacant building into an oasis of hope for thousands.

Galilee Center not only has a thriving food distribution program providing food baskets to an average of 300 people a week, but expanded services as well. Galilee Center is now home to a thrift store, a community room with computers that also serves as a cooling center during the hot summer, and a comfort center that provides showers and low-cost laundry facilities. Additionally, Galilee now offers utility and rental assistance, childcare assistance ranging from diapers and formula to new shoes and backpacks, and help for seniors.

“The Galilee Center is blessed to be able to serve families in need with kindness and respect,” said Gomez. “And both Claudia and I are so thankful to USDA Rural Development for their help making that possible.”


B&I $518,959,315 232 $29,727,545 13 $35,379,000 14 $584,065,860 259IRP $9,860,000 20 $1,000,000 1 $1,500,000 3 $12,360,000 24Renewable Energy $16,339,730 330 $7,085,243 102 $7,207,452 85 $30,632,424 517Business Grants $9,364,447 110 $1,113,000 16 $720,756 19 $11,198,203 145REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $400,000 1 $400,000 1VAPG $6,233,281 39 $2,344,494 17 $1,955,359 16 $10,533,134 72SFH Direct $462,326,723 2,994 $100,559,697 569 $108,860,593 578 $671,747,013 4,141SFH Guaranteed $4,227,484,113 24,552 $562,996,706 2,965 $406,202,493 2,086 $5,196,683,312 29,603SFH Repairs $2,533,287 363 $518,024 73 $944,607 127 $3,995,919 563SFH Self-Help Grants $36,846,387 28 $8,536,979 5 $330,000 1 $45,713,366 34MFH Direct $15,836,439 19 $4,147,500 1 $2,100,000 1 $22,083,939 21MFH Guaranteed $205,050,119 130 $35,265,246 22 $29,552,357 17 $269,867,722 169Farm Labor Housing $89,273,448 43 $16,612,892 8 $27,400,000 13 $133,286,340 64Rental Assistance $410,438,429 2,024 $91,089,279 381 $108,921,429 470 $610,449,137 2,875CF Direct $146,762,153 68 $74,036,150 15 $82,076,000 12 $302,874,303 95CF Guaranteed $9,891,255 12 $0 0 $0 0 $9,891,255 12CF Grants $14,997,954 283 $1,586,577 27 $2,595,165 49 $19,179,696 359WWD Direct $296,963,972 96 $15,297,742 8 $8,183,000 6 $320,444,714 110WWD Guaranteed $346,100 1 $0 0 $0 0 $346,100 1WWD Grants $110,327,624 156 $22,098,610 40 $15,499,504 23 $147,925,738 219Telecom $46,165,804 27 $462,894 2 $2,070,825 7 $48,699,523 36Electric $86,960,000 4 $0 0 $23,826,000 1 $110,786,000 5All Other Programs $35,114,598 117 $7,169,985 27 $5,406,945 21 $47,691,527 165

CALIFORNIA TOTAL $6,758,075,178 31,648 $981,648,563 4,292 $871,131,484 3,550 $8,610,855,225 39,490

Violeta Lopez receives fresh food from Claudia Castorena at the Galilee Center’s weekly food distribution pick-up.

California Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


ColoradoCommunity Programs

Centennial Mental Health Is Moving Lives ForwardAccording to a government mental health study, in 2014, two-thirds of Colorado teens dealing with clinical depression had gone untreated for the previous 12 months. Executives at the Centennial Mental Health Center recognized their Fort Morgan, CO, facility was unable to support the increasing need for client services. Centennial, which serves a 10-county rural area in northeastern Colorado, approached USDA Rural Development to find a long-term solution to the increasing patient load.

Working with USDA Rural Development, Centennial Mental Health Center secured a $4.2 million Community Facilities loan to finance the bulk of their new 17,655-square-foot care facility in Fort Morgan. Using USDA funds along with locally raised donations and philanthropic gifts for construction of the nearly $6 million project, the new facility includes 33 clinical provider offices, group/conference rooms, administrative and support staff offices, reception offices and waiting rooms, testing rooms, examination and consult rooms, a video conference/telehealth room, and much-needed storage. The expanded location allows Centennial to better focus on its mission of providing the highest quality

comprehensive mental health services while preserving human dignity, self-respect, and client rights. The new building will also allow room for future growth to accommodate the growing demand for services in that area.

Strategically located near a primary care medical facility, Centennial’s Fort Morgan office integrates behavioral and physical health care in order to improve the overall quality of, and access to, rural health care.


B&I $112,623,304 40 $1,771,100 2 $37,691,289 11 $152,085,693 53IRP $2,798,296 7 $1,000,000 1 $950,000 2 $4,748,296 10Renewable Energy $3,762,705 96 $794,364 28 $551,394 21 $5,108,463 145Business Grants $2,446,360 52 $246,000 8 $268,849 9 $2,961,209 69REDLG $2,610,000 5 $0 0 $600,000 2 $3,210,000 7VAPG $1,629,714 14 $0 0 $223,150 4 $1,852,864 18SFH Direct $116,853,956 833 $19,777,103 130 $13,566,235 85 $150,197,294 1,048SFH Guaranteed $1,554,039,091 8,884 $306,930,684 1,597 $231,460,715 1,175 $2,092,430,490 11,656SFH Repairs $1,825,219 270 $260,295 31 $125,418 17 $2,210,932 318SFH Self-Help Grants $4,171,750 8 $1,115,880 3 $600,000 1 $5,887,630 12MFH Direct $3,163,799 5 $0 0 $1,062,500 1 $4,226,299 6MFH Guaranteed $2,004,874 2 $0 0 $0 0 $2,004,874 2Farm Labor Housing $8,424,076 6 $0 0 $0 0 $8,424,076 6Rental Assistance $65,160,432 592 $11,963,200 111 $15,425,627 127 $92,549,259 830CF Direct $43,977,733 35 $25,871,748 7 $12,423,000 3 $82,272,481 45CF Guaranteed $2,674,837 3 $5,750,000 1 $25,210,000 5 $33,634,837 9CF Grants $4,439,687 133 $846,839 19 $496,703 23 $5,783,229 175WWD Direct $54,827,300 38 $4,479,000 1 $1,573,000 6 $60,879,300 45WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $22,543,636 48 $3,239,236 7 $8,884,955 13 $34,667,827 68Telecom $85,772,405 29 $259,428 1 $183,597 1 $86,215,430 31Electric $1,763,441,000 32 $260,849,000 2 $395,866,000 2 $2,420,156,000 36All Other Programs $3,168,101 30 $274,216 9 $241,191 7 $3,683,508 46

COLORADO TOTAL $3,862,358,275 11,162 $645,428,093 1,958 $747,403,624 1,515 $5,255,189,992 14,635

Centennial Mental Health Center’s new facility in Fort Morgan, CO, constructed using funds from USDA Rural Development. The facility serves more than 6,000 clients annually.

Colorado Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


ConnecticutEnergy Programs

Solar Power for Family Farm OperationLost Acres Vineyard is a small vineyard in northern Connecticut with 5 acres of vines on 60 acres of land. Kevin Riggot and Michelle Niedermeyer have run the small family-operated enterprise, in North Granby, CT, since 2010. They not only produce outstanding handcrafted wine, but host local farmers markets four times a year, and community events in their barn such as “Yoga in the Vines,” live music shows, and showcases for local art.

USDA Rural Development provided Lost Acres Vineyard with a Rural Energy for America Program grant to purchase and install a 12.4 kW (kilowatt) solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the barn. The solar panels supply 80 percent of vineyard’s electricity needs through clean, renewable energy.

The solar panel system complements other environmentally friendly practices used on the farm, such as Integrated Pest Management, composting of grapes, and recycling.

Riggot and Niedermeyer recently installed a commercial kitchen to expand their production capabilities. Visitors may try homemade antipasto and cheese plates made from the farm’s chickens, herbs,

and vegetable gardens. The farmland has been producing libations since the 1700s, when it was an apple and peach orchard used to make hard cider and apple jack.

Riggot and Niedermeyer enjoy connecting with their local customers at Lost Acres wine tastings, farmers markets, and other events. They are dedicated to building a sustainable farm operation and events that bring the community together. The solar panels were the final touch to perfecting their community-oriented farm.


B&I $37,226,500 14 $6,000,000 2 $2,224,000 1 $45,450,500 17IRP $1,500,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,500,000 2Renewable Energy $1,967,567 67 $934,022 23 $421,544 13 $3,323,133 103Business Grants $1,450,938 25 $159,000 4 $147,000 4 $1,756,938 33REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $334,000 2 $250,000 1 $250,000 1 $834,000 4SFH Direct $29,640,908 160 $4,117,255 23 $4,250,059 23 $38,008,222 206SFH Guaranteed $677,665,516 3,701 $130,921,335 721 $107,396,294 592 $915,983,145 5,014SFH Repairs $763,467 135 $142,907 21 $196,857 31 $1,103,231 187SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $9,323,852 16 $2,330,042 4 $6,335,986 9 $17,989,880 29MFH Guaranteed $4,179,250 2 $0 0 $0 0 $4,179,250 2Farm Labor Housing $250,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $250,000 1Rental Assistance $39,891,504 332 $8,522,796 63 $9,131,090 68 $57,545,390 463CF Direct $119,179,420 43 $17,817,163 4 $46,612,995 10 $183,609,578 57CF Guaranteed $27,027,600 5 $0 0 $1,500,000 1 $28,527,600 6CF Grants $1,864,707 45 $158,000 7 $250,000 8 $2,272,707 60WWD Direct $70,011,000 26 $14,786,000 4 $16,917,000 5 $101,714,000 35WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $41,766,905 37 $4,093,000 5 $4,045,000 5 $49,904,905 47Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $299,890 8 $50,000 1 $46,021 1 $395,911 10

CONNECTICUT TOTAL $1,064,343,024 4,621 $190,281,521 883 $199,723,846 772 $1,454,348,391 6,276

Kevin Riggot of Lost Acres Vineyard in North Granby. The new, USDA financed, roof-mounted 12.4 kW solar panels provide electric power to run the farm and for community events.

Connecticut Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


Community Support Programs, Inc., to renovate and expand the Withdrawal Management Center located in Harrington, DE. The 2016 award, which will help the center increase outpatient services, builds on a $5 million loan from USDA Rural Development to purchase the 23,500-square-foot treatment facility that opened in late 2015. The center, which serves downstate Delaware, provides 12 overnight beds for clients needing intense detox treatment, and 16 longer term beds so nurses can observe patients to determine their next level of care. The facility also includes an on-site family therapy center and primary care office.

Today, thanks to USDA Rural Development, more people in rural Delaware are receiving high-quality healthcare for substance misuse and addiction.

DelawareCommunity Programs

USDA Supports Substance Abuse Treatment CenterWalk into any town in rural America, and ask a local if they know someone who struggles, or has struggled, with addiction. Chances are the answer will be yes.

In 2014, more than 24,000 Americans died of overdoses of opioids, a class of drugs that includes both prescription pain medication and heroin. Delaware is not immune to this crisis, and has higher- than-average painkiller abuse and a rising number of overdose deaths. There were 180 suspected drug overdose deaths in the State in 2015.

In January 2015, President Obama tapped Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to lead an interagency Federal effort focused on the heroin and prescription opioid crisis. Most people probably wouldn’t think of USDA as the obvious choice for this role, but we are uniquely suited for the task, given our strong, longstanding relationship with rural America, where rates of overdose and opioid misuse are particularly high.

In June 2016, Secretary Vilsack announced a $1 million USDA Rural Development Community Facilities loan to Connections


B&I $7,493,627 7 $1,350,000 1 $1,856,000 2 $10,699,627 10IRP $1,020,437 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,020,437 3Renewable Energy $500,695 20 $935,526 23 $395,944 9 $1,832,165 52Business Grants $875,590 24 $111,000 8 $105,000 6 $1,091,590 38REDLG $593,120 1 $300,000 1 $0 0 $893,120 2VAPG $41,000 1 $748,750 4 $250,000 1 $1,039,750 6SFH Direct $63,190,234 358 $5,298,547 30 $10,448,665 58 $78,937,446 446SFH Guaranteed $627,508,745 3,363 $133,945,296 676 $124,319,821 641 $885,773,862 4,680SFH Repairs $430,468 65 $60,431 10 $98,333 16 $589,232 91SFH Self-Help Grants $3,096,000 5 $0 0 $790,000 1 $3,886,000 6MFH Direct $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,000,000 1MFH Guaranteed $1,273,086 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,273,086 2Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $38,652,905 207 $7,622,076 40 $8,061,135 46 $54,336,116 293CF Direct $49,321,000 19 $31,050,000 5 $17,555,000 8 $97,926,000 32CF Guaranteed $500,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $500,000 1CF Grants $2,738,924 51 $181,400 5 $530,480 9 $3,450,804 65WWD Direct $97,723,065 36 $1,515,000 3 $7,900,000 6 $107,138,065 45WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $26,335,491 28 $3,107,000 7 $2,815,000 8 $32,257,491 43Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Electric $85,300,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $85,300,000 3All Other Programs $5,611,800 15 $997,464 6 $1,048,963 8 $7,658,227 29

DELAWARE TOTAL $1,013,206,187 4,210 $187,222,490 819 $176,174,342 819 $1,376,603,019 5,848

Delaware Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals

Nurse Antonelle Darling evaluates a client at the Connections Withdrawal Management Center in Harrington. The facility, which opened in November 2015, received additional financing from USDA this year to expand operations.


FloridaBusiness Programs

USDA Helps Boost Local Economies in Rural South FloridaMost people associate Palm Beach County, on the southern Florida coast, with opulent beachfront homes and luxurious living. In the western part of the county, though, there are small rural communities—where people’s average income is around $29,300—that need help to thrive. USDA Rural Development is partnering with local leaders and other government agencies to stimulate economic development and growth in these rural underserved communities.

USDA Rural Development provided the Palm Beach County Department of Economic Sustainability with a $1 million Intermediary Relending Program loan. The program provides 1 percent, low-interest loans to intermediaries that re-lend money to businesses and for community development projects in rural areas. These projects create jobs and help stem rural out-migration.

The county will use the loan from USDA to establish a revolving loan fund to finance economic development projects. The USDA award

will be leveraged with $1.5 million from the county, commercial bank loans, and funding from the Small Business Administration and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The initial funds will help improve operations at seven businesses in and around rural Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay, Florida.


B&I $279,916,997 72 $78,712,500 24 $102,991,026 23 $461,620,523 119IRP $618,000 2 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $1,618,000 3Renewable Energy $4,824,427 97 $3,230,961 21 $854,434 22 $8,909,822 140Business Grants $4,807,239 31 $586,000 5 $628,000 6 $6,021,239 42REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $1,900,000 3 $1,900,000 3VAPG $1,333,369 7 $557,000 4 $488,000 5 $2,378,369 16SFH Direct $215,942,677 1,922 $28,597,685 244 $32,169,499 262 $276,709,861 2,428SFH Guaranteed $4,738,397,842 36,549 $629,696,186 4,408 $582,402,850 3,912 $5,950,496,878 44,869SFH Repairs $8,150,227 1,497 $1,021,435 175 $1,601,019 256 $10,772,682 1,928SFH Self-Help Grants $11,174,710 6 $2,100,000 2 $2,577,790 4 $15,852,500 12MFH Direct $39,431,970 59 $0 0 $21,625,079 17 $61,057,049 76MFH Guaranteed $8,348,000 7 $1,750,000 1 $16,321,000 18 $26,419,000 26Farm Labor Housing $13,000,000 10 $0 0 $5,400,000 5 $18,400,000 15Rental Assistance $282,874,925 1,912 $54,652,241 341 $68,497,815 403 $406,024,981 2,656CF Direct $58,150,750 32 $22,692,000 6 $2,460,800 5 $83,303,550 43CF Guaranteed $15,160,000 6 $10,300,000 2 $2,970,000 1 $28,430,000 9CF Grants $3,999,800 45 $332,700 4 $878,650 14 $5,211,150 63WWD Direct $127,029,900 47 $3,178,000 3 $19,042,000 5 $149,249,900 55WWD Guaranteed $200,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $200,000 1WWD Grants $64,736,040 58 $3,678,830 7 $9,135,320 6 $77,550,190 71Telecom $49,414,932 6 $346,831 2 $0 0 $49,761,763 8Electric $872,356,000 19 $244,401,000 4 $89,004,000 3 $1,205,761,000 26All Other Programs $83,124,922 25 $2,307,345 274 $2,463,071 305 $87,895,338 604

FLORIDA TOTAL $6,882,992,728 42,410 $1,088,140,714 5,527 $964,410,353 5,276 $8,935,543,795 53,213

USDA Rural Development Florida State Director Richard Machek presents Palm Beach County Commission Mayor Mary Lou Berger with a ceremonial check commemorating the $1 million Intermediary Relending Program loan award.

Florida Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


GeorgiaHousing Programs

Historic Anniversary Celebrated in DonalsonvilleThe first home ever purchased through USDA’s Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program is located in Donalsonville, GA. In June 2016, USDA Rural Development officials joined government leaders, housing developers, lenders, and others in Donalsonville to celebrate that first milestone purchase back in 1991, the 25th anniversary of the program, and how the program has helped rural residents across the State.

Under the program, approved lenders provide mortgage loans to qualified low- to moderate-income applicants. USDA Rural Development guarantees the loans, increasing the amount of credit available for affordable housing.

Over the last 25 years, the program has grown significantly in Georgia. Today, 475 lenders partnering with USDA Rural Development have helped nearly 45,000 rural Georgia families become homeowners.

Besides homeownership opportunities, the program stimulates the economy at the local level. For example, it creates jobs for

builders, realtors, appraisers, and home fixtures manufacturers, and it also increases business opportunities for lenders as well.

In a separate ceremony later in June, USDA Rural Development Georgia State Director Jill Stuckey recognized Homestar Financial Corporation, a USDA-approved lender based in Gainesville, GA, as a “Lender of Excellence” for making the most guaranteed home loans in the State. Since 1991, the company has made more than 6,000 loans under the program.

Of this top-lender award, Wes Hunt, President of Homestar, said, “Specializing in USDA’s Single-Family Housing Program after the 2008 economic downturn helped keep our company going and growing.”


B&I $419,641,717 116 $22,525,284 4 $47,457,000 8 $489,624,001 128IRP $1,839,000 4 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $2,839,000 5Renewable Energy $15,924,481 428 $4,253,597 80 $11,207,026 60 $31,385,105 568Business Grants $8,660,009 110 $832,000 11 $899,000 12 $10,391,009 133REDLG $10,071,616 14 $0 0 $1,550,000 2 $11,621,616 16VAPG $5,861,086 29 $3,230,326 17 $1,456,462 8 $10,547,874 54SFH Direct $142,101,332 1,321 $10,830,393 103 $17,890,849 163 $170,822,574 1,587SFH Guaranteed $2,992,827,731 25,663 $524,739,336 4,189 $535,465,360 4,091 $4,053,032,427 33,943SFH Repairs $10,864,196 1,575 $1,259,450 178 $1,502,844 228 $13,626,490 1,981SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $12,804,005 20 $0 0 $0 0 $12,804,005 20MFH Guaranteed $22,668,682 24 $1,650,000 1 $0 0 $24,318,682 25Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $143,835,456 1,727 $28,577,952 322 $37,491,057 377 $209,904,465 2,426CF Direct $146,539,318 160 $46,058,950 19 $61,107,125 26 $253,705,393 205CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $32,000,000 1 $32,000,000 1CF Grants $6,521,619 166 $647,100 21 $1,171,700 37 $8,340,419 224WWD Direct $106,050,880 49 $23,442,600 7 $34,183,000 8 $163,676,480 64WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $79,825,413 46 $7,588,500 14 $11,635,500 11 $99,049,413 71Telecom $112,412,671 20 $903,016 2 $1,533,081 6 $114,848,768 28Electric $3,433,256,000 57 $270,130,000 7 $740,469,000 8 $4,443,855,000 72All Other Programs $159,890,034 54 $376,021 73 $644,168 142 $160,910,223 269

GEORGIA TOTAL $7,831,595,246 31,583 $947,044,526 5,048 $1,538,663,173 5,189 $10,317,302,945 41,820

Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Vernita Dore signs a proclamation, committing to increase opportunities for home loan guarantees in Georgia, at the 25th anniversary celebration in Donalsonville.

Georgia Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


HawaiiBusiness Programs

A Growing Partnership Builds a Garden in Kauai One way USDA Rural Development supports our mission to improve the quality of life for rural America is through its partnerships with other public, private, and nonprofit organizations. With these alliances, Federal funding can be leveraged with other sources to promote positive change in our rural communities.

For example, on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, what started as a $215 million electric loan to Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) to provide electricity to the Kauai community has blossomed into a great partnership between USDA Rural Development and KIUC.

Since 2005, KIUC has been a recipient of six separate grant awards totaling $1.8 million under the Rural Economic Development Grant Program. Under this program, Rural Development awards funds to local utilities like KIUC to support nonprofits that benefit the communities in their service area. For the past 10 years, KIUC has used the grants to help expand Kauai Hospice, Inc., build infrastructure for Kauai Island School, and renovate and construct facilities for the Kauai YWCA.

Most recently, in 2016, USDA Rural Development provided KIUC with two Rural Economic Development grants of $300,000 each

to help the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii and the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Funds were used to help renovate and expand two educational facilities for the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii that will be used for technology, sports, recreational activities, and health and life skills courses. The National Tropical Botanical Garden will use the funds to help renovate its visitor center that will showcase the preservation of tropical plant diversity, propagation, habitat restoration, scientific research, and education.

Working together, partnerships like USDA Rural Development and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative can foster very real, positive change in our rural communities.


B&I $58,445,000 13 $7,500,000 2 $6,486,300 1 $72,431,300 16IRP $180,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $180,000 1Renewable Energy $1,932,104 58 $1,104,098 17 $534,086 20 $3,570,288 95Business Grants $1,455,599 26 $113,000 4 $101,000 5 $1,669,599 35REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $600,000 2 $600,000 2VAPG $542,896 9 $358,335 2 $0 0 $901,231 11SFH Direct $86,188,092 394 $14,896,189 59 $14,000,381 54 $115,084,662 507SFH Guaranteed $1,341,665,620 4,172 $217,177,497 673 $170,305,433 534 $1,729,148,550 5,379SFH Repairs $2,353,728 340 $363,996 55 $289,024 39 $3,006,749 434SFH Self-Help Grants $3,936,090 8 $1,409,475 3 $1,383,302 2 $6,728,867 13MFH Direct $1,624,990 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,624,990 3MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $8,895,352 1 $8,895,352 1Farm Labor Housing $6,561,428 3 $1,876,274 1 $0 0 $8,437,702 4Rental Assistance $36,150,612 125 $7,809,120 21 $10,974,656 28 $54,934,388 174CF Direct $140,901,490 31 $5,029,000 3 $26,178,986 8 $172,109,476 42CF Guaranteed $23,065,000 7 $0 0 $0 0 $23,065,000 7CF Grants $2,227,769 37 $350,000 5 $187,800 6 $2,765,569 48WWD Direct $18,233,100 13 $0 0 $0 0 $18,233,100 13WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $13,520,054 13 $35,500 2 $16,202,232 13 $29,757,786 28Telecom $1,725,465 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,725,465 5Electric $182,851,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $182,851,000 2All Other Programs $4,593,188 23 $442,115 4 $1,421,021 6 $6,456,324 33

HAWAII TOTAL $1,928,153,225 5,283 $258,464,599 851 $257,559,573 719 $2,444,177,397 6,853

Staff at the National Tropical Botanical Garden review blueprints for the renovation of their visitor center. USDA Rural Development funding helped finance the improvements to the facility.

Hawaii Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


IdahoEnergy Programs

Innovative Thinking Proves To Be Cost EffectiveWhy simply replace a structure when you can redesign it to pay for itself? That’s the question officials at the North Side Canal Company asked themselves as they considered how to replace their aging 100-year-old concrete “diversion structure” on the Snake River near Twin Falls, ID.

The structure diverts water from the Snake River into a canal that conveys water to approximately 165,000 acres of farmland along an 80-mile stretch of the river.

USDA Rural Development provided a $452,415 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to support the project. North Side Canal invested $7.5 million to design and construct the new diversion structure.

Using the law of gravity and the kinetic energy of flowing water to its advantage, North Side Energy—a wholly owned subsidiary of North Side Canal Company—developed plans to incorporate a hydroelectric generation component in the new diversion structure.

Flowing canal water is siphoned through turbines set in an enclosed system that includes a 20-foot vertical drop for the water, creating enough flow to generate over 4 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. That’s enough to power nearly 400 homes.

Over the next 28 years, the hydroelectric power plant is expected to generate more than $8 million in electricity that will be sold to Idaho Power Co., which will cover the entire project costs. Workers at the plant reporting that it’s surpassing production expectations and currently producing 6 percent more energy than originally planned.


B&I $184,898,586 126 $36,226,960 23 $40,137,669 16 $261,263,215 165IRP $690,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $690,000 3Renewable Energy $7,456,163 266 $1,182,472 48 $654,924 38 $9,293,559 352Business Grants $2,078,166 108 $465,231 16 $378,738 16 $2,922,135 140REDLG $2,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $2,000,000 1VAPG $1,665,450 12 $799,304 10 $863,613 7 $3,328,367 29SFH Direct $134,217,906 1,015 $5,017,984 38 $8,729,597 64 $147,965,487 1,117SFH Guaranteed $1,307,057,593 9,490 $219,807,145 1,433 $163,403,285 1,041 $1,690,268,023 11,964SFH Repairs $2,242,300 380 $252,304 37 $207,097 39 $2,701,701 456SFH Self-Help Grants $1,822,064 6 $502,211 2 $0 0 $2,324,275 8MFH Direct $13,274,655 27 $0 0 $400,000 1 $13,674,655 28MFH Guaranteed $5,465,000 7 $4,040,913 3 $5,556,000 5 $15,061,913 15Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $78,819,365 722 $13,519,200 146 $19,197,819 189 $111,536,384 1,057CF Direct $29,827,700 36 $21,850,000 4 $1,309,000 4 $52,986,700 44CF Guaranteed $2,841,000 11 $0 0 $0 0 $2,841,000 11CF Grants $1,937,418 56 $190,700 5 $463,850 12 $2,591,968 73WWD Direct $94,483,000 54 $38,827,000 14 $18,775,000 18 $152,085,000 86WWD Guaranteed $1,285,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,285,000 1WWD Grants $40,001,775 95 $16,181,440 21 $7,715,107 25 $63,898,322 141Telecom $51,345,664 26 $482,178 1 $12,691,000 1 $64,518,842 28Electric $85,932,000 4 $13,572,000 1 $0 0 $99,504,000 5All Other Programs $1,904,033 13 $494,120 70 $499,654 78 $2,897,807 161

IDAHO TOTAL $2,051,244,838 12,459 $373,411,161 1,872 $280,982,353 1,554 $2,705,638,352 15,885

The North Side Canal Company’s new hydroelectric diversion structure that was financed, in part, through USDA Rural Development’s REAP program.

Idaho Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


IllinoisBusiness Programs

USDA Partners Leverage Funding to Create Jobs in IllinoisUSDA Rural Development’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program provides zero-interest loans and grants to utilities that, in turn, lend funds to local businesses for projects to create and retain employment in rural areas. These revolving loan funds broaden the REDLG program’s reach and impact—and contribute to local community economic development.

Justin Holsapple grew up on a family farm in Cumberland County, IL, and returned after college with the goal of running his own business. He took on a dealership with Channel Seed, branched out into the pesticide and nutritional markets, and started Ag Underground as a way to market these products. Like many businesses looking to start-up or expand, Ag Underground needed financing. Working through the Norris Electric Cooperative, Holsapple received a zero-percent-interest loan of about $102,800 to expand his new business—beginning with a warehouse large enough to serve his growing customer base. He hopes to attract others to join him as his business grows and he is able to add jobs.

Meanwhile, IHI Turbo America (ITA), a manufacturing company based in Shelbyville, IL (population 4,689), continues to add world-wide customers, production orders, and jobs.

ITA secured new contracts requiring expanded production capacity in order to meet demand. USDA Rural Development provided Shelby Electric Co-op with $1 million in REDLG funding, which then made a loan to ITA to expand operations. The business expansion is expected to create more than 20 new jobs.

This is the second time that ITA has expanded production with a supporting REDLG award through Shelby Electric Co-op. The first contributed $2 million toward a $4.8 million project that created 30 new jobs. With both expansions, ITA will have more than 100 employees.


B&I $173,949,613 58 $6,048,420 6 $431,948 1 $180,429,981 65IRP $4,405,000 7 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $5,405,000 8Renewable Energy $33,308,171 531 $2,091,945 61 $1,166,345 42 $36,566,461 634Business Grants $5,407,589 66 $462,000 7 $431,045 7 $6,300,634 80REDLG $22,219,502 24 $2,550,000 3 $1,770,000 2 $26,539,502 29VAPG $1,748,760 14 $630,459 6 $789,299 4 $3,168,518 24SFH Direct $148,623,731 1,891 $19,825,656 257 $17,404,028 231 $185,853,415 2,379SFH Guaranteed $2,672,617,216 28,443 $326,498,446 3,428 $293,905,307 3,071 $3,293,020,970 34,942SFH Repairs $13,837,703 2,829 $2,191,932 416 $2,379,240 474 $18,408,876 3,719SFH Self-Help Grants $283,140 1 $0 0 $0 0 $283,140 1MFH Direct $9,443,504 29 $2,942,945 8 $6,012,750 8 $18,399,199 45MFH Guaranteed $30,650,650 8 $0 0 $0 0 $30,650,650 8Farm Labor Housing $1,643,191 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,643,191 2Rental Assistance $132,107,988 2,159 $26,840,663 418 $30,475,906 474 $189,424,557 3,051CF Direct $95,439,054 46 $3,797,900 7 $4,409,000 3 $103,645,954 56CF Guaranteed $22,115,000 9 $0 0 $10,000,000 1 $32,115,000 10CF Grants $3,845,765 151 $339,600 19 $882,000 39 $5,067,365 209WWD Direct $196,105,650 173 $33,583,000 34 $58,860,000 30 $288,548,650 237WWD Guaranteed $756,750 1 $8,440,000 4 $479,000 1 $9,675,750 6WWD Grants $64,168,162 139 $12,733,020 30 $14,366,787 33 $91,267,969 202Telecom $155,841,032 33 $154,497 1 $617,242 2 $156,612,771 36Electric $133,140,000 10 $25,000,000 1 $0 0 $158,140,000 11All Other Programs $7,884,540 38 $1,029,612 224 $916,950 203 $9,831,101 465

ILLINOIS TOTAL $3,929,541,711 36,662 $476,160,096 4,931 $445,296,847 4,626 $4,850,998,654 46,219

Justin Holsapple (top left), along with family, friends, community members, and Norris Electric Co-op and Rural Development representatives who helped him obtain funding for the Ag Underground warehouse and business expansion.

Illinois Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


IndianaHousing Programs

A Young Girl’s Dream Comes TrueWhen she was 12, over the summer, Stacy Parker of Linton, IN, would ride her bike to the community swimming pool. Along the way, she would often stop in front of a particular house and daydream about living there one day.

Later, her dream came true when she was able to rent the house. She lived there for 5 years, but then the owners decided to sell. Parker wanted to purchase the property, but several conventional mortgage companies turned her down because she had not been at her current job long enough to qualify for a loan.

She contacted staff with her local USDA Rural Development office who advised her about the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. Under this program, USDA partners with approved lenders to provide affordable loans to low- to moderate-income rural homebuyers. The lenders make the loans, which are guaranteed by the government to reduce risk to the lenders and increase the amount of credit they can provide.

Parker applied through local lender Ruoff Mortgage and was approved for a guaranteed loan to buy the home. Today, thanks to USDA Rural Development and Ruoff Mortgage, she not only owns her dream home but her monthly loan payments are less than what she had been paying for rent.

In FY 2015, Indiana’s Single Family Housing Programs provided more than $618 million to help about 5,780 Hoosier families buy, build, or repair their homes.


B&I $106,184,593 46 $12,778,000 5 $10,498,000 4 $129,460,593 55IRP $350,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $350,000 2Renewable Energy $30,742,634 487 $2,544,443 75 $11,154,344 58 $44,441,422 620Business Grants $4,111,380 67 $501,000 9 $526,000 6 $5,138,380 82REDLG $3,504,000 7 $2,628,540 3 $0 0 $6,132,540 10VAPG $1,050,295 13 $610,390 7 $389,532 3 $2,050,217 23SFH Direct $217,569,008 2,002 $22,181,479 179 $22,526,364 188 $262,276,851 2,369SFH Guaranteed $3,092,201,889 29,236 $594,828,396 5,424 $554,731,405 5,007 $4,241,761,690 39,667SFH Repairs $7,502,333 1,432 $975,448 177 $932,277 171 $9,410,058 1,780SFH Self-Help Grants $954,132 4 $628,275 2 $0 0 $1,582,407 6MFH Direct $4,176,265 15 $1,057,051 3 $137,016 1 $5,370,332 19MFH Guaranteed $7,040,000 10 $0 0 $3,158,000 4 $10,198,000 14Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $107,543,988 1,841 $19,432,512 363 $23,977,115 424 $150,953,615 2,628CF Direct $161,086,071 39 $1,432,000 2 $4,909,200 4 $167,427,271 45CF Guaranteed $21,524,999 6 $0 0 $0 0 $21,524,999 6CF Grants $4,179,107 77 $330,400 13 $628,050 18 $5,137,557 108WWD Direct $233,232,100 97 $3,517,200 5 $67,465,000 19 $304,214,300 121WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $107,240,958 62 $12,307,625 11 $17,607,100 12 $137,155,683 85Telecom $128,177,062 14 $0 0 $554,348 2 $128,731,410 16Electric $779,522,000 23 $71,500,000 4 $20,732,000 4 $871,754,000 31All Other Programs $1,949,508 42 $986,133 197 $1,068,972 227 $4,004,614 466

INDIANA TOTAL $5,019,842,322 35,522 $748,238,892 6,479 $740,994,723 6,152 $6,509,075,938 48,153

Stacy Parker (center with certificate) celebrates with staff from the local USDA Rural Development office who helped connect her with the guaranteed home loan program.

Indiana Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


IowaUtilities Programs

Improving Health Care With TelemedicineUSDA Rural Development is partnering with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) in Iowa City, IA, to establish telemedicine sites at nearly 70 remote, rural healthcare facilities in 46 counties across the State.

“Telemedicine offers improved care for children and seniors with frequent health care needs but constrained ability to travel to appointments far from home,” said USDA Rural Development Iowa State Director Bill Menner.

The rural healthcare facilities—including family medicine clinics, nursing homes, and child health specialty clinics—will receive almost $1 million in telemedicine equipment through a $498,970 Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant from Rural Development and matching funds from UIHC.

The initial phase of the project will bring telemedicine services to about 15 sites. The rest of the remote sites will be linked to UIHC telemedicine services within a year. Each healthcare facility connecting to UIHC can choose the equipment that will best fit its needs.

“We want to provide rural Iowans the best possible options to help them have better, increased access to specialty care locally,” said Dr. Patrick Brophy, medical director and assistant vice president of the eHealth and eNovation Center for University of Iowa Health Care. “Our goal is to keep patients in their communities as much as possible, and we believe we can achieve that goal through telemedicine. Our collaboration with USDA is making it easier to keep practitioners and communities connected to world-class medical specialty care.”

Since 2009, USDA has helped fund 17 telemedicine projects to improve healthcare access for rural Iowans.


B&I $299,558,241 92 $45,968,767 17 $46,278,400 13 $391,805,408 122IRP $2,845,219 8 $200,000 1 $0 0 $3,045,219 9Renewable Energy $119,630,779 1,913 $4,601,732 164 $1,937,336 79 $126,169,848 2,156Business Grants $4,516,373 69 $336,200 6 $300,000 9 $5,152,573 84REDLG $40,525,000 87 $11,329,880 17 $7,322,833 14 $59,177,713 118VAPG $6,357,717 39 $2,464,580 11 $571,295 6 $9,393,592 56SFH Direct $119,327,580 1,393 $9,068,353 104 $9,548,236 103 $137,944,169 1,600SFH Guaranteed $1,344,038,499 13,561 $237,102,920 2,264 $204,959,611 1,905 $1,786,101,029 17,730SFH Repairs $6,212,221 1,454 $998,751 203 $942,510 200 $8,153,483 1,857SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $2,694,837 17 $0 0 $0 0 $2,694,837 17MFH Guaranteed $7,606,600 4 $0 0 $0 0 $7,606,600 4Farm Labor Housing $1,038,091 7 $0 0 $0 0 $1,038,091 7Rental Assistance $111,160,816 1,405 $19,650,960 274 $27,319,468 374 $158,131,244 2,053CF Direct $260,449,899 80 $112,285,060 17 $171,643,500 27 $544,378,459 124CF Guaranteed $61,474,287 23 $341,500 1 $11,647,000 2 $73,462,787 26CF Grants $17,129,022 379 $265,200 14 $757,600 32 $18,151,822 425WWD Direct $115,972,660 103 $8,671,000 8 $41,709,000 19 $166,352,660 130WWD Guaranteed $5,300,000 1 $4,880,000 1 $0 0 $10,180,000 2WWD Grants $72,444,473 113 $8,334,550 31 $10,038,840 20 $90,817,863 164Telecom $290,215,953 53 $40,918,000 6 $15,181,000 2 $346,314,953 61Electric $318,482,000 30 $132,173,000 6 $80,225,000 4 $530,880,000 40All Other Programs $27,737,455 36 $2,638,064 265 $1,192,217 324 $31,567,735 625

IOWA TOTAL $3,234,717,722 20,867 $642,228,518 3,410 $631,573,846 3,133 $4,508,520,085 27,410

A UIHC nurse practitioner consults with a patient in another location using telemedicine equipment that links them together in real-time over a computer network.

Iowa Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


KansasHousing Programs

Pride in Homeownership in Liberal, KansasWhen you hear Matthew McLane describe the building of his house, you can feel the pride he holds in the work that he did to provide a home for his family. Matthew and his wife, Candace, became first-time homebuyers in Liberal, KS, through USDA Rural Development’s Mutual Self-Help Program.

Prior to finishing their home, the growing McLane family lived in an apartment. Matthew and Candace McLane and their three children embarked on the program as one of 55 families who have successfully built their home in this southwest Kansas community. USDA Rural Development has provided more than $6 million in home loan financing to residents participating in the program.

McLane describes putting his sweat, blood, and tears into the home, but loving every minute of it. From learning how to hang drywall, to laying flooring or installing shingles, it was all new experiences and skills that he learned. When repairs are needed now, he is able to do the home maintenance and repairs himself.

“We really enjoy the extra space in our house and the yard, and look forward to continuing to update the property,” he said.

“I have put in a lot of hours on this house, and I plan to take good care of it for the next 30 years.”

The McLanes exemplify the success of the Mutual Self-Help Program, as prospective homeowners build sweat equity into their properties and become an invested part of a growing neighborhood. Growing even more in their case, as they’ll welcome another McLane into the family this fall.


B&I $121,358,541 56 $17,990,485 6 $14,997,338 8 $154,346,364 70IRP $425,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $425,000 2Renewable Energy $47,216,883 406 $2,862,652 52 $1,188,959 68 $51,268,494 526Business Grants $2,887,265 38 $245,000 3 $233,000 4 $3,365,265 45REDLG $32,073,576 48 $2,016,000 3 $2,624,704 3 $36,714,280 54VAPG $1,408,580 14 $705,334 9 $785,940 6 $2,899,854 29SFH Direct $78,231,534 923 $5,423,969 55 $2,622,716 34 $86,278,219 1,012SFH Guaranteed $1,169,010,007 11,364 $142,263,229 1,285 $123,158,403 1,111 $1,434,431,640 13,760SFH Repairs $4,686,830 865 $194,254 38 $333,376 69 $5,214,460 972SFH Self-Help Grants $1,750,000 7 $15,000 1 $0 0 $1,765,000 8MFH Direct $20,101,788 48 $484,471 2 $0 0 $20,586,259 50MFH Guaranteed $2,947,108 3 $1,115,386 1 $906,500 1 $4,968,994 5Farm Labor Housing $4,465,223 4 $0 0 $2,998,297 2 $7,463,520 6Rental Assistance $54,479,701 996 $9,531,900 209 $13,234,967 246 $77,246,568 1,451CF Direct $95,588,355 57 $12,366,850 9 $55,865,600 13 $163,820,805 79CF Guaranteed $29,360,067 10 $0 0 $0 0 $29,360,067 10CF Grants $19,080,275 92 $141,000 7 $302,100 21 $19,523,375 120WWD Direct $194,617,070 134 $16,803,000 14 $10,562,000 10 $221,982,070 158WWD Guaranteed $4,200,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $4,200,000 2WWD Grants $90,710,862 98 $8,563,500 14 $5,215,000 9 $104,489,362 121Telecom $373,064,300 47 $142,157 1 $26,500,000 3 $399,706,457 51Electric $540,597,938 40 $32,158,000 3 $53,818,000 3 $626,573,938 46All Other Programs $1,255,462 17 $390,888 119 $357,785 112 $2,004,135 248

KANSAS TOTAL $2,889,516,365 15,271 $253,413,075 1,831 $315,704,685 1,723 $3,458,634,125 18,825

The McLane family on the porch of the home they built and financed through USDA Rural Development.

Kansas Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


KentuckyEnergy Programs

USDA Helps Small Business Owner Save Energy and Increase ProfitsUSDA Rural Development helped a grocery store owner in rural Isom, KY, make improvements that are lowering the store’s energy bills. Owner Gwendolyn Christon is already reaping the benefits of the Rural Development grant to make her grocery more energy efficient. The renovations—the small business’s first major ones in 25 years—were completed in the spring.

USDA Rural Development provided Christon with a Rural Energy for America Program grant of about $84,500 to upgrade her refrigerator units, install 4 new compressors to replace 15 older, less-efficient ones, and install a new heating system that uses the heat generated by the refrigerators. The new equipment has reduced the grocery’s energy use by about 35 percent.

But that’s not all the grant has done: she has also realized a 6- percent increase in sales. The improvements created more floor space allowing her to sell new lines of products. Christon was able to add a new dollar aisle for low-cost items. She also installed a rotisserie, and cooks fresh chicken every morning for customers. The greater variety provides her customers, from Letcher County and eastern Kentucky, with more options close to home, ensuring their hard-earned money can be spent locally.

Christon began her career as a clerk at the Isom IGA after high school, and worked hard to learn the business that she would later purchase in 1999. After growing up just 3 miles from the store, today she’s the proud owner and employer of 20 local residents. She wants to succeed for her employees, and provide for the community where she is a lifelong resident.

Isom, in Letcher County, received targeted assistance through the USDA StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity and Promise Zone initiatives to combat rural poverty and increase economic opportunity. Thanks to the partnership between Christon and USDA, she is saving money and reducing energy use at her business, all while continuing to offer quality foods and friendly service at the newly renovated local IGA.


B&I $259,321,677 55 $22,125,250 10 $18,063,500 9 $299,510,427 74IRP $4,126,000 7 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $5,126,000 8Renewable Energy $13,962,776 308 $2,876,214 91 $1,732,776 59 $18,571,766 458Business Grants $7,007,968 61 $679,000 15 $722,000 13 $8,408,968 89REDLG $10,483,100 18 $2,525,000 2 $4,000,000 4 $17,008,100 24VAPG $1,870,405 17 $605,134 10 $1,708,611 13 $4,184,150 40SFH Direct $224,786,403 2,307 $30,690,632 333 $23,447,110 238 $278,924,145 2,878SFH Guaranteed $2,461,829,919 21,618 $482,003,045 4,071 $447,061,210 3,730 $3,390,894,174 29,419SFH Repairs $16,234,756 2,843 $2,689,361 448 $3,271,330 577 $22,195,447 3,868SFH Self-Help Grants $1,000,000 3 $525,000 1 $0 0 $1,525,000 4MFH Direct $9,511,020 19 $17,130,589 17 $12,584,917 23 $39,226,526 59MFH Guaranteed $6,540,193 7 $0 0 $5,789,000 9 $12,329,193 16Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $99,837,432 1,584 $19,881,576 287 $26,299,105 361 $146,018,113 2,232CF Direct $363,165,432 97 $162,054,100 23 $136,258,755 21 $661,478,287 141CF Guaranteed $34,339,406 2 $0 0 $40,000,000 1 $74,339,406 3CF Grants $11,429,482 202 $1,596,923 28 $1,680,017 38 $14,706,422 268WWD Direct $286,367,100 163 $58,853,000 25 $31,900,000 17 $377,120,100 205WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $113,159,639 157 $11,443,250 23 $9,989,000 18 $134,591,889 198Telecom $321,861,942 42 $563,268 3 $967,175 3 $323,392,385 48Electric $1,082,723,000 31 $332,449,000 3 $334,815,000 9 $1,749,987,000 43All Other Programs $29,313,619 104 $20,442,881 55 $5,084,075 56 $54,840,575 215

KENTUCKY TOTAL $5,358,871,269 29,645 $1,169,133,223 5,445 $1,106,373,582 5,200 $7,634,378,073 40,290

An Isom IGA employee prepares a produce display. The grocery’s new USDA-financed energy-efficient refrigerator units are in the background.

Kentucky Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


LouisianaBusiness Programs

Working for Change: Essential Workforce Development in the Louisiana DeltaThe NOVA (New Opportunities Vision Achievement) Workforce Institute is helping individuals in rural northeast Louisiana get high-demand jobs. Employment is an issue in this sparsely populated, economically distressed region where residents live in persistent poverty. NOVA, a “jobs intermediary,” is linking area employers with training opportunities and local job candidates with the right skills to succeed.

The NOVA Workforce Institute was formed in 2006 to help businesses in the region address their most frequent challenge—filling jobs with qualified applicants. Typically, applicants have passion and ability but lack some of the workplace skills that can help them thrive. NOVA started through a partnership with Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith, the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Delta Community College, the City of Monroe, and other workforce development organizations.

USDA Rural Development awarded NOVA with a $60,000 Rural Business Development Grant to help nine small, emerging businesses in the Louisiana Delta invest in potential applicants

and prepare them for employment. NOVA is providing on-the-job training to build participants’ skills. The business owners, in turn, are also benefitting from the opportunity to recruit well-trained workers locally. For example, My Dream Eatery, a Lake Providence, LA, restaurant, has hired 12 formerly unemployed individuals who recently completed NOVA’s Career Readiness Certificate Program. These excited new employees will begin working in early fall.

USDA is targeting assistance to rural northeast Louisiana through the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative to combat rural poverty. Thanks to USDA Rural Development and NOVA, residents from one of the poorest areas of the State now have access to job training, and new opportunities for quality jobs and benefits.


B&I $485,432,319 105 $52,976,800 12 $71,600,603 16 $610,009,722 133IRP $750,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $750,000 1Renewable Energy $4,257,170 73 $1,961,389 36 $1,015,763 36 $7,234,322 145Business Grants $4,012,114 32 $422,000 5 $449,000 5 $4,883,114 42REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $542,340 4 $250,000 1 $500,000 2 $1,292,340 7SFH Direct $183,252,555 1,503 $26,232,675 195 $12,140,255 96 $221,625,486 1,794SFH Guaranteed $4,590,827,292 32,168 $686,195,947 4,650 $623,916,393 4,201 $5,900,939,632 41,019SFH Repairs $10,157,838 1,411 $1,991,998 288 $1,325,894 198 $13,475,730 1,897SFH Self-Help Grants $1,618,800 6 $0 0 $367,650 1 $1,986,450 7MFH Direct $16,060,811 26 $8,523,230 14 $4,347,252 9 $28,931,293 49MFH Guaranteed $4,507,088 5 $702,000 1 $4,665,000 2 $9,874,088 8Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $196,475,153 1,496 $38,090,232 260 $46,592,373 333 $281,157,758 2,089CF Direct $100,452,984 42 $20,888,200 5 $78,415,000 12 $199,756,184 59CF Guaranteed $9,526,500 3 $8,000,000 1 $0 0 $17,526,500 4CF Grants $4,659,786 93 $361,100 17 $600,800 19 $5,621,686 129WWD Direct $127,673,671 77 $38,185,000 13 $28,693,000 9 $194,551,671 99WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $66,470,497 61 $8,888,735 15 $6,229,864 10 $81,589,096 86Telecom $54,828,556 16 $0 0 $1,437,560 3 $56,266,116 19Electric $613,388,000 9 $0 0 $0 0 $613,388,000 9All Other Programs $93,485,597 20 $80,083,571 4 $102,677 3 $173,671,844 27

LOUISIANA TOTAL $6,568,379,071 37,151 $973,752,876 5,517 $882,399,084 4,955 $8,424,531,031 47,623

USDA provided NOVA with a grant to help create jobs in the Louisiana Delta Region. Pictured are NOVA training participants who recently began new jobs at small businesses in rural northeast Louisiana.

Louisiana Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MaineEnergy Programs

USDA Helps Seventh-Generation Family Farm Go SolarThe barn at McDougal Orchards, in Springvale, ME, is over a hundred years old, but today it has a new lease on life thanks to USDA Rural Development and solar energy technology.

USDA Rural Development provided Hanson Farm, Inc., the farm family that operates McDougal Orchards, with a $14,830 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to install a solar panel system. The new, 20.14 kW (kilowatt) photovoltaic roof-mounted solar panels will supply enough power to meet all of the energy needs at the orchard.

For 225 years, each generation of the Hanson or McDougal family has done their part to keep the farm going, producing fresh fruits and vegetables for the community. Every fall, the family sells apples grown on the 284-acre property for their “pick-your-own” customers, their farm stand, the Sanford Farmers Market, and local wholesalers.

Since FY 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested more than $5.2 million through this vital program to help 93 Maine businesses

make their operations more energy efficient or install renewable energy systems. These REAP projects will generate/save an estimated 104,000 megawatt hours of energy—enough to power more than 9,500 Maine homes for a year and reduce 90,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This is the equivalent of removing about 18,000 cars from Maine roads.


B&I $62,993,889 35 $0 0 $4,880,000 3 $67,873,889 38IRP $2,584,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $2,584,000 5Renewable Energy $5,608,539 141 $1,911,668 49 $796,678 46 $8,316,884 236Business Grants $6,717,453 63 $275,000 4 $512,453 7 $7,504,906 74REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $875,542 9 $247,702 4 $1,613,118 10 $2,736,362 23SFH Direct $201,685,329 1,417 $16,302,962 114 $24,125,915 157 $242,114,206 1,688SFH Guaranteed $1,623,211,685 11,588 $244,169,644 1,721 $243,027,668 1,692 $2,110,408,997 15,001SFH Repairs $6,190,935 1,140 $629,340 114 $797,232 130 $7,617,507 1,384SFH Self-Help Grants $2,180,000 3 $793,800 1 $0 0 $2,973,800 4MFH Direct $17,930,921 32 $1,656,591 3 $8,222,811 15 $27,810,323 50MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $165,912,342 1,492 $28,147,812 256 $40,292,682 353 $234,352,836 2,101CF Direct $36,469,150 52 $11,227,500 8 $21,594,000 6 $69,290,650 66CF Guaranteed $24,743,624 13 $5,000,000 2 $1,248,000 1 $30,991,624 16CF Grants $4,810,620 87 $478,600 9 $578,050 14 $5,867,270 110WWD Direct $87,180,374 100 $13,325,000 9 $18,469,000 10 $118,974,374 119WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $87,792,316 132 $7,544,000 18 $11,557,000 18 $106,893,316 168Telecom $23,465,256 44 $2,687,510 7 $1,644,596 5 $27,797,362 56Electric $18,741,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $18,741,000 6All Other Programs $11,767,938 50 $1,769,167 42 $1,345,054 99 $14,882,159 191

MAINE TOTAL $2,390,860,913 16,409 $336,166,296 2,361 $380,704,257 2,566 $3,107,731,465 21,336

Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah (fifth from right), Rural Development Maine State Director Virginia Manuel (eighth from right), and others in front of the century-old barn at McDougal Orchards.

Maine Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MarylandCommunity Economic Development Programs

Delmarva: A Region of PossibilitiesThinking regionally helps rural communities solve challenging and persistent problems. It also pushes regions to build on their unique strengths as a catalyst for economic growth. In Maryland, USDA Rural Development spearheaded an effort to convene rural stakeholders for conversations about the economic benefits of regional collaboration. As a result, rural communities across the Delmarva Peninsula—a geographic area comprised of nine Maryland, three Delaware, and two Virginia rural counties—are now engaged in regional economic thinking, action, and collaboration.

To encourage regional economic development, USDA Rural Development worked alongside local partners in Maryland to champion a tri-State Delmarva regional conference. More than 100 rural community stakeholders attended the conference, where they gained a clear understanding of the economic benefits derived from regional planning, collaboration, and action across State lines. The conference focused on building relationships among those interested in cooperating on regional efforts to make Delmarva thrive and prosper. Participants networked, shared aspirations for the area, and developed projects to move Delmarva forward as a region. Innovative projects that emerged from the conference

included creating a regional data dashboard for Delmarva, maintaining a shared platform to tell the stories of Delmarva, and organizing regional meet-ups for technical entrepreneurs.

USDA Rural Development is providing technical support to help move all these concepts forward to reality and is helping to plan and facilitate a second, follow-up Delmarva regional conference for participants this fall.

Thanks to USDA Rural Development’s work to promote the economic benefits of regional thinking and collaboration, community leaders in rural areas across Maryland and the Delmarva Peninsula are now actively participating in regional economic development efforts to build wealth and prosperity.


B&I $56,515,485 25 $3,268,400 3 $430,000 1 $60,213,885 29IRP $2,669,000 4 $991,657 1 $0 0 $3,660,657 5Renewable Energy $2,857,221 70 $1,326,607 33 $577,653 19 $4,761,481 122Business Grants $8,317,073 46 $966,000 12 $971,000 10 $10,254,073 68REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $2,157,427 21 $1,508,079 12 $674,755 5 $4,340,261 38SFH Direct $72,149,947 382 $9,973,365 58 $9,520,113 48 $91,643,425 488SFH Guaranteed $2,308,865,150 11,347 $506,790,813 2,484 $451,379,564 2,203 $3,267,035,527 16,034SFH Repairs $1,620,695 237 $227,267 35 $327,619 56 $2,175,581 328SFH Self-Help Grants $319,995 1 $35,555 1 $0 0 $355,550 2MFH Direct $5,040,032 8 $3,761,277 5 $3,326,827 3 $12,128,136 16MFH Guaranteed $12,474,676 6 $0 0 $0 0 $12,474,676 6Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $88,573,844 677 $15,451,020 121 $19,859,037 138 $123,883,901 936CF Direct $44,502,000 28 $6,380,000 2 $37,675,600 8 $88,557,600 38CF Guaranteed $7,592,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $7,592,000 2CF Grants $5,485,671 98 $758,300 10 $1,456,160 17 $7,700,131 125WWD Direct $115,056,010 67 $17,237,000 11 $10,762,000 9 $143,055,010 87WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $104,625,931 86 $14,279,500 21 $11,668,000 17 $130,573,431 124Telecom $74,411,485 31 $99,725 1 $0 0 $74,511,210 32Electric $227,623,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $227,623,000 4All Other Programs $7,398,266 45 $4,569,892 13 $316,008 13 $12,284,166 71

MARYLAND TOTAL $3,148,254,908 13,185 $587,624,457 2,823 $548,944,335 2,547 $4,284,823,700 18,555

Participants at the Delmarva regional conference collaborate on actions they can take across State lines.

Maryland Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MassachusettsCommunity Programs

Helping the Hungry in Rural Western MassachusettsIn western Massachusetts, over 211,000 people—including more than 55,000 children—go hungry each year. USDA continues to combat hunger in the region by supporting organizations such as the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The food bank, based in Hatfield, MA, is vital to the area, serving more than 15,000 people each week. In 2015, the organization delivered over 10 million pounds of food to 200 different front-line food providers in its four-county service region. Not only does the USDA supply 20 percent of the food bank’s local foods, but USDA Rural Development in southern New England also provided this local nonprofit with a $46,000 Community Facilities grant to build a new cooler with more storage space for perishable foods. Food bank managers also used a portion of the grant to make its warehouse bathroom wheelchair accessible. The food bank started using the new cooler in early FY 2016.

The cooler allows the food bank to store more fresh produce donated by local farmers, who provide about 40 percent of its

food stocks. The extra storage capacity enabled the food bank to distribute 75 percent more produce compared to the prior year.

“Without this cooler, we wouldn’t be able to leverage the generosity of our local farmers, who donate so much in the way of produce,” Andrew Morehouse, the food bank’s executive director said. “Frankly, it would wind up in a waste bin.”


B&I $57,119,750 20 $0 0 $0 0 $57,119,750 20IRP $2,311,000 4 $491,658 1 $500,000 1 $3,302,658 6Renewable Energy $7,330,879 111 $1,974,056 33 $482,143 38 $9,787,078 182Business Grants $1,595,101 44 $242,000 7 $177,000 9 $2,014,101 60REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $411,000 4 $499,869 3 $127,072 3 $1,037,941 10SFH Direct $78,872,809 404 $6,624,972 30 $8,396,890 43 $93,894,671 477SFH Guaranteed $1,087,000,686 5,475 $204,993,943 990 $156,619,775 766 $1,448,614,404 7,231SFH Repairs $1,440,834 237 $267,124 38 $157,481 25 $1,865,439 300SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $10,563,748 13 $579,200 5 $2,552,985 5 $13,695,933 23MFH Guaranteed $3,801,905 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,801,905 1Farm Labor Housing $1,844,383 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,844,383 5Rental Assistance $53,339,769 327 $10,840,968 57 $13,956,923 70 $78,137,660 454CF Direct $67,042,000 46 $26,353,400 8 $20,177,889 9 $113,573,289 63CF Guaranteed $13,397,500 13 $1,240,000 1 $948,000 1 $15,585,500 15CF Grants $3,263,860 49 $501,883 6 $777,529 9 $4,543,272 64WWD Direct $85,287,785 60 $9,440,000 10 $11,250,000 9 $105,977,785 79WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $68,105,313 86 $3,534,150 12 $3,187,000 11 $74,826,463 109Telecom $499,970 1 $0 0 $636,619 2 $1,136,589 3Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $4,627,264 27 $2,712,403 15 $736,837 15 $8,076,504 57

MASSACHUSETTS TOTAL $1,547,855,556 6,927 $270,295,626 1,216 $220,684,142 1,016 $2,038,835,325 9,159

Rural Development helped the food bank purchase a new 24-by-30 foot drive-in cooler that doubled its storage capacity and led to a 75-percent increase in food distributions.

Massachusetts Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MichiganWater and Environmental Programs

Long-Term Partnership Transforms Little City in Michigan’s Upper PeninsulaToday, residents of Manistique, MI, have better drinking water, and safer, more reliable sewer and stormwater systems too, thanks to an ongoing partnership between USDA Rural Development and city leaders. Since 2008, Rural Development has provided this small rural city with a population just under 3,100 with $30.3 million in affordable financing for critically needed infrastructure improvements.

Most of Manistique’s underground water and sewer infrastructure was installed in 1908, with some of it built out in the late 1930s. But the city couldn’t afford major upgrades or additions to the systems since then. Residents began complaining about the smell and color of the city’s water. The city received three citations from Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) because stormwater inundated the sewer system and caused overflows.

Rural Development’s investments in 2008 helped Manistique upgrade its outmoded water system. The water has improved so much that the American Water Works Association has awarded the city “Best Tasting Water” in the Upper Peninsula for 3 years running. The city recently won “Best Tasting Water” at the State

level, and then went on to place Michigan’s water in the top-10 best in the Nation.

“We don’t get complaints anymore,” Water and Wastewater Superintendent Corey Barr said. “Nothing like we used to.”

Infrastructure work has been coordinated with road improvements from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Construction is underway on a project that will separate the stormwater and sewer lines, and increase the distance between the drinking water and sewer lines, to meet DEQ regulations. USDA Rural Development provided nearly $4 million for this latest project, which is expected to be complete in October 2016.


B&I $239,258,830 93 $20,620,494 8 $31,965,000 8 $291,844,324 109IRP $1,252,000 4 $0 0 $279,595 1 $1,531,595 5Renewable Energy $10,058,812 422 $2,398,482 94 $958,063 58 $13,415,357 574Business Grants $6,842,158 170 $785,000 23 $834,000 18 $8,461,158 211REDLG $1,200,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,200,000 3VAPG $4,239,337 27 $851,030 8 $1,248,900 8 $6,339,267 43SFH Direct $196,382,226 2,049 $26,679,209 272 $32,005,811 311 $255,067,246 2,632SFH Guaranteed $4,170,159,938 40,512 $753,773,740 6,693 $639,358,969 5,551 $5,563,292,647 52,756SFH Repairs $10,226,231 2,082 $1,899,824 352 $1,869,339 381 $13,995,394 2,815SFH Self-Help Grants $812,100 5 $239,200 1 $0 0 $1,051,300 6MFH Direct $21,151,463 48 $0 0 $1,695,021 4 $22,846,484 52MFH Guaranteed $5,312,000 5 $1,150,000 2 $1,601,000 3 $8,063,000 10Farm Labor Housing $2,588,514 11 $0 0 $0 0 $2,588,514 11Rental Assistance $172,152,056 2,134 $30,299,752 366 $36,878,008 463 $239,329,816 2,963CF Direct $209,355,140 145 $66,311,000 26 $79,235,000 24 $354,901,140 195CF Guaranteed $26,597,000 6 $5,226,969 4 $0 0 $31,823,969 10CF Grants $11,420,500 448 $1,117,300 43 $1,645,000 73 $14,182,800 564WWD Direct $477,415,000 230 $56,656,000 27 $56,006,000 31 $590,077,000 288WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $165,588,313 152 $15,822,000 13 $16,196,700 18 $197,607,013 183Telecom $126,827,229 24 $976,587 3 $544,719 2 $128,348,535 29Electric $287,671,000 8 $84,000,000 2 $47,652,000 2 $419,323,000 12All Other Programs $16,129,969 55 $1,418,209 343 $2,150,020 283 $19,698,198 681

MICHIGAN TOTAL $6,162,639,816 48,633 $1,070,224,795 8,280 $952,123,145 7,239 $8,184,987,756 64,152

Affordable financing from USDA Rural Development has helped Manistique, MI, improve its water and waste disposal systems. The latest project involves replacing and relocating water and sewer lines under the State highway that runs through the city.

Michigan Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MinnesotaCommunity Economic Development Programs

From Farm-to-Fork: New Food Hub Boosts Sales for Minnesota ProducersIn early 2016, representatives from USDA Rural Development joined community leaders and elected officials to celebrate the grand opening of the Sprout regional food hub and Growers and Makers Marketplace in Little Falls, MN. The food hub/market is bringing new sales opportunities for producers, and increasing access to fresh, locally grown foods for customers, too.

The new food hub/marketplace is a year-round venue for local growers, and artists, to sell their wares. It includes a processing facility for the growers and an in-house commercial kitchen. Sprout was started back in 2005 by Arlene and Bob Jones on their farm in Brainerd, MN, to help Minnesota growers, from “farm-to-fork,” to find new markets and increase sales.

Strategic partnerships and regional planning helped make the Sprout expansion into Little Falls a reality. Region Five Development Commission Executive Director Cheryal Hills has been working on a region-wide plan to improve central Minnesota’s economy that includes local foods production as a component of the plan.

USDA Rural Development supported this regional initiative, and the planned food hub, through a $200,000 Rural Community

Development Initiative grant. Rural Development also provided the development commission with Rural Microenterprise Assistance Program funding that helped several area growers scale up production to meet the food hub demand.

More than 300 people attended the ribbon-cutting, including elected officials, Minnesota’s Agriculture Commissioner, USDA Rural Development’s Under Secretary Lisa Mensah, and Minnesota State Director Colleen Landkamer—all long-time supporters of local foods and rural business development.

Today, 70 local growers already are selling their fresh, locally grown produce at the Sprout location in Little Falls.


B&I $124,911,198 54 $18,330,000 3 $27,482,500 4 $170,723,698 61IRP $3,237,159 7 $0 0 $0 0 $3,237,159 7Renewable Energy $36,428,349 918 $3,423,495 96 $15,627,409 62 $55,479,253 1,076Business Grants $5,870,145 64 $732,340 7 $496,667 8 $7,099,152 79REDLG $16,451,588 30 $1,600,000 3 $2,530,000 6 $20,581,588 39VAPG $4,890,377 24 $1,054,749 9 $1,494,048 8 $7,439,174 41SFH Direct $139,743,062 1,172 $19,066,679 148 $16,900,050 125 $175,709,791 1,445SFH Guaranteed $2,665,346,045 21,887 $517,121,680 3,851 $460,363,425 3,282 $3,642,831,150 29,020SFH Repairs $6,119,326 1,094 $731,514 134 $640,805 107 $7,491,645 1,335SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $13,409,624 26 $0 0 $301,966 2 $13,711,590 28MFH Guaranteed $2,326,174 2 $0 0 $1,300,000 1 $3,626,174 3Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $103,986,416 1,845 $18,264,408 340 $23,892,302 446 $146,143,126 2,631CF Direct $333,646,700 147 $20,672,000 13 $60,641,500 23 $414,960,200 183CF Guaranteed $57,730,800 15 $9,832,500 1 $0 0 $67,563,300 16CF Grants $9,687,687 156 $1,014,500 20 $1,277,472 28 $11,979,659 204WWD Direct $182,600,000 119 $23,690,000 11 $34,542,000 13 $240,832,000 143WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $124,248,866 154 $12,535,000 19 $15,071,816 17 $151,855,682 190Telecom $327,393,347 63 $30,896,000 4 $7,827,481 7 $366,116,828 74Electric $767,452,000 55 $328,677,000 19 $78,631,000 4 $1,174,760,000 78All Other Programs $31,136,626 43 $1,589,562 108 $1,661,928 150 $34,388,116 301

MINNESOTA TOTAL $4,956,615,489 27,875 $1,009,231,427 4,786 $750,682,368 4,293 $6,716,529,284 36,954

Ribbon-cutting at the newly sprouted Growers and Makers Marketplace in Little Falls. USDA Rural Development Minnesota State Director Colleen Landkamer is second to left, and Under Secretary Mensah is second to right.

Minnesota Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MississippiBusiness Programs

USDA Helps Renovate Mississippi Delta Healthcare CenterMississippi’s Delta Region, known as the “birthplace of the blues,” has rich local traditions and culture that goes back centuries. However, the region also has a long history of poverty and lack of economic opportunity. Improving healthcare in the delta is one of the ways to improve the quality of life—and increase economic opportunity—for people living there.

USDA Rural Development’s Delta Health Care Services Grant Program provides funds for unmet healthcare needs in the Delta Region. USDA collaborates with healthcare professionals, higher education and research institutions, and other local entities to carry out the program.

USDA Rural Development in Mississippi awarded the Delta Health Alliance with a $1 million grant—the maximum award available through the program. The alliance is using the funds to help the Leland Medical Clinic renovate its entire facility and upgrade its electronic health records system. Leland Medical Clinic serves more than 2,700 patients, many of whom have low-income and are managing chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. Funds are also being used to improve the clinic’s telehealth

services to facilitate participation in the Mississippi Health Information Exchange. Telemedicine networks allow patients to receive care from participating physicians without having to travel outside their community, a major advantage in rural parts of the Mississippi Delta, where patients don’t always have easy access to a specialist in their local healthcare system.

“As a native of the Delta Region, I have seen just how much underserved areas benefit from innovations such as telehealth technology, which facilitates getting crucial healthcare services to the people most in need of assistance,” USDA Rural Development Mississippi State Director Trina George said.

“By working with community leaders like the Delta Health Alliance, we can continue to successfully provide the services that the community needs.”


B&I $151,146,474 32 $20,017,000 4 $12,248,000 2 $183,411,474 38IRP $0 0 $600,000 1 $0 0 $600,000 1Renewable Energy $6,107,382 196 $1,910,913 33 $885,637 31 $8,903,932 260Business Grants $4,527,584 61 $533,919 6 $636,000 5 $5,697,503 72REDLG $21,535,000 28 $4,000,000 2 $0 0 $25,535,000 30VAPG $546,826 6 $749,952 5 $0 0 $1,296,778 11SFH Direct $173,175,984 1,870 $26,878,910 263 $35,124,214 311 $235,179,109 2,444SFH Guaranteed $2,053,288,657 16,796 $321,838,099 2,562 $330,715,711 2,603 $2,705,842,467 21,961SFH Repairs $15,244,293 2,203 $2,230,563 312 $2,537,072 340 $20,011,929 2,855SFH Self-Help Grants $2,322,435 10 $68,053 2 $653,708 2 $3,044,196 14MFH Direct $4,531,483 13 $0 0 $0 0 $4,531,483 13MFH Guaranteed $1,529,000 6 $0 0 $6,390,000 1 $7,919,000 7Farm Labor Housing $6,099,267 5 $0 0 $0 0 $6,099,267 5Rental Assistance $226,113,756 1,804 $43,992,216 342 $53,253,438 404 $323,359,410 2,550CF Direct $81,653,386 38 $0 0 $97,745,000 8 $179,398,386 46CF Guaranteed $10,000,000 1 $0 0 $8,755,000 1 $18,755,000 2CF Grants $14,413,329 270 $451,600 17 $1,918,300 43 $16,783,229 330WWD Direct $126,455,169 129 $23,348,167 17 $34,280,800 24 $184,084,136 170WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $327,500 1 $0 0 $327,500 1WWD Grants $80,917,431 93 $11,655,960 14 $12,697,759 15 $105,271,150 122Telecom $50,274,102 25 $1,670,836 3 $1,983,019 4 $53,927,957 32Electric $1,479,999,000 17 $76,076,000 1 $138,676,000 2 $1,694,751,000 20All Other Programs $105,630,588 66 $3,659,051 28 $3,999,588 62 $113,289,227 156

MISSISSIPPI TOTAL $4,615,511,146 23,669 $540,008,739 3,613 $742,499,246 3,858 $5,898,019,131 31,140

Ground-breaking at the Leland, MS, medical clinic. The clinic is using a $1 million grant from USDA to improve healthcare services for patients in the Mississippi Delta, including upgrades to its telehealth system.

Mississippi Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MissouriBusiness Programs

New Initiative Shows How Much Partnerships MatterUSDA Rural Development in Missouri partnered with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO) to spur economic growth in three very small rural communities in the State: Marshfield, Salem, and Sarcoxie. By working together, small towns can bring more positive changes to their community and region than they could on their own.

USDA Rural Development provided CFO—a public foundation serving residents of the Missouri Ozarks—with a $50,000 Rural Business Development Grant to fund its new “Growth in the Rural Ozarks” economic development initiative. Marshfield, Salem, and Sarcoxie are the first-ever communities to benefit from this new, USDA-funded CFO program.

CFO selected the three communities, all with populations of less than 8,000, through a competitive process. CFO will provide each town with an economic development professional to help community leaders promote job creation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. The projects in Marshfield, Salem, and Sarcoxie will last 3 years. CFO expects assessment and

development of economic development plans in the first year, and implementation afterwards.

“We can help build strong schools, and develop nonprofit capacity, but without economic opportunity, our smaller communities cannot grow and prosper,” CFO President Brian Fogle said.

The partnership between USDA Rural Development and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is helping to improve the economy and quality of life for residents of these 3 small rural cities through new opportunities, resources, and networks.


B&I $243,785,000 148 $62,634,700 38 $46,533,000 25 $352,952,700 211IRP $4,387,500 8 $1,649,293 3 $425,000 1 $6,461,793 12Renewable Energy $44,738,957 301 $7,003,997 107 $7,123,437 92 $58,866,391 500Business Grants $5,472,779 134 $674,519 18 $610,000 18 $6,757,298 170REDLG $12,976,000 23 $3,000,000 4 $3,700,000 5 $19,676,000 32VAPG $4,044,386 38 $1,461,499 11 $2,136,150 15 $7,642,035 64SFH Direct $222,973,065 2,452 $20,283,701 210 $16,710,319 153 $259,967,085 2,815SFH Guaranteed $3,298,225,302 30,844 $579,163,672 5,019 $573,979,540 4,928 $4,451,368,514 40,791SFH Repairs $9,810,626 2,120 $1,187,768 233 $1,078,034 202 $12,076,428 2,555SFH Self-Help Grants $767,380 3 $0 0 $0 0 $767,380 3MFH Direct $7,191,432 24 $1,745,730 2 $734,788 3 $9,671,950 29MFH Guaranteed $3,129,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,129,000 1Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $107,346,096 2,233 $18,574,704 428 $27,066,256 526 $152,987,056 3,187CF Direct $216,171,105 152 $24,969,400 30 $52,455,350 32 $293,595,855 214CF Guaranteed $66,748,720 16 $0 0 $0 0 $66,748,720 16CF Grants $14,718,892 432 $587,700 36 $875,757 40 $16,182,349 508WWD Direct $235,132,330 207 $46,142,060 28 $33,156,000 20 $314,430,390 255WWD Guaranteed $1,750,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,750,000 2WWD Grants $110,647,173 197 $14,260,210 23 $16,625,710 18 $141,533,093 238Telecom $214,779,386 56 $674,723 3 $0 0 $215,454,109 59Electric $1,681,777,000 56 $286,386,000 6 $108,164,000 3 $2,076,327,000 65All Other Programs $2,845,553 26 $1,137,124 497 $1,223,662 558 $5,206,340 1,081

MISSOURI TOTAL $6,509,417,682 39,473 $1,071,536,800 6,696 $892,597,003 6,639 $8,473,551,485 52,808

USDA Rural Development celebrates with Sarcoxie representatives. The town is one of three communities selected to participate in CFO’s new Growth in the Rural Ozarks initiative.

Missouri Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


MontanaCommunity Programs

USDA StrikeForce Initiative Helps Prairie County HospitalPrairie County is located in the badlands and rolling hills of eastern Montana. The county is home to 1,179 residents, many of whom have made farming and ranching their way of life. Economically, the county is in persistent poverty and was identified by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to receive intensive community outreach and technical assistance from USDA under the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative.

USDA Rural Development, in partnership with Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation, helped the Prairie County Hospital fund essential system upgrades to ensure that this critical care facility can continue to meet the healthcare needs of local families. USDA Rural Development provided $19.1 million in Community Facilities loan and grant assistance through StrikeForce for the project.

The hospital—in Terry, MT, the county seat—is in dire need of a new boiler and other mechanical and electrical system upgrades, such as HVAC and fire suppression systems. The project will

support all the improvements needed to help keep the hospital operating continuously and avoid closure.

Although most of this project will be invisible to the public, the upgrades will allow hospital staff to provide care with a higher degree of confidence, relieving the daily stress of wondering when, or which, system will fail, and provide a greater degree of comfort to patients. The project will also ensure that the hospital is fully compliant with State regulations.

The hospital has 22 long-term-care beds and provides 24-hour emergency care. It has operated at a 91-percent occupancy rate for the past 5 years. It is one of the largest employers in Prairie County.


B&I $76,021,898 24 $16,639,850 10 $10,500,000 3 $103,161,748 37IRP $5,971,000 11 $852,000 2 $1,500,000 2 $8,323,000 15Renewable Energy $1,670,165 54 $747,609 34 $518,168 25 $2,935,942 113Business Grants $3,715,948 90 $184,000 8 $192,000 10 $4,091,948 108REDLG $2,399,872 7 $0 0 $1,000,000 1 $3,399,872 8VAPG $374,270 8 $0 0 $235,689 1 $609,959 9SFH Direct $115,584,512 796 $7,136,742 50 $8,139,102 52 $130,860,356 898SFH Guaranteed $1,146,058,765 7,361 $196,910,955 1,144 $156,922,358 889 $1,499,892,078 9,394SFH Repairs $1,141,613 205 $135,122 24 $75,105 12 $1,351,840 241SFH Self-Help Grants $4,096,406 11 $531,900 1 $907,060 2 $5,535,366 14MFH Direct $4,690,799 11 $0 0 $0 0 $4,690,799 11MFH Guaranteed $1,455,597 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,455,597 1Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $33,571,548 559 $5,813,472 102 $8,343,272 134 $47,728,292 795CF Direct $41,106,550 31 $9,950,000 1 $22,006,800 9 $73,063,350 41CF Guaranteed $39,450,000 7 $1,150,000 1 $4,545,000 1 $45,145,000 9CF Grants $9,567,687 83 $1,299,632 12 $1,305,330 18 $12,172,649 113WWD Direct $82,733,000 71 $22,707,000 12 $32,189,000 18 $137,629,000 101WWD Guaranteed $2,923,200 3 $0 0 $2,534,000 1 $5,457,200 4WWD Grants $75,668,736 90 $8,201,325 13 $13,211,466 19 $97,081,527 122Telecom $359,830,061 25 $30,311,931 3 $30,687,110 5 $420,829,102 33Electric $133,610,000 16 $20,000,000 2 $15,606,000 1 $169,216,000 19All Other Programs $16,729,433 44 $3,001,432 52 $3,498,376 70 $23,229,241 166

MONTANA TOTAL $2,158,371,060 9,508 $325,572,970 1,471 $313,915,836 1,273 $2,797,859,865 12,252

Prairie County Hospital is making essential mechanical and electrical system improvements to ensure that it can continue to provide quality healthcare for area residents.

Montana Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


NebraskaCommunity Programs

Bringing Better Healthcare to Rural NebraskaThe Sidney Regional Medical Center (SRMC), originally built in 1953, had outgrown its space and was landlocked. Further, sporadic additions and construction over the years had made the hospital less efficient. The board of directors determined that they needed a new hospital facility to continue to provide proper care for their patients.

USDA Rural Development provided a $32 million Community Facilities Direct Loan for a new, state-of-the-art, 120,000-square-foot hospital on 20 acres in Sidney. It includes 25 private acute-care rooms, 3 high-tech surgical suites, a 6-room emergency department, specialty clinics, and diagnostic imaging facilities. The grand opening was in December 2015.

Community leaders partnered with USDA to help make this project—the largest to date for Rural Development in Nebraska—a reality. SRMC contributed more than $11 million, and Cheyenne County contributed $10 million, to fund the total project

cost of $53 million. The new hospital will serve approximately 12,000 rural clients from Sidney and the surrounding area in the southern Nebraska panhandle. The project also created 36 new healthcare jobs and saved 265 jobs for local workers.

“This hospital is critical to the sustainability of this entire community,” USDA Rural Development Nebraska State Director Maxine Moul said at the grand opening. “People will want to come here because they will have quick access to care that is top notch.”


B&I $127,492,459 73 $8,957,125 5 $31,222,838 6 $167,672,422 84IRP $2,048,558 5 $0 0 $500,000 1 $2,548,558 6Renewable Energy $30,597,371 718 $2,497,499 78 $1,934,435 60 $35,029,305 856Business Grants $3,946,946 55 $366,489 8 $905,109 11 $5,218,544 74REDLG $7,010,619 18 $300,000 1 $848,400 3 $8,159,019 22VAPG $1,663,307 14 $320,136 6 $1,385,401 17 $3,368,844 37SFH Direct $48,129,726 650 $2,107,129 26 $3,004,356 35 $53,241,211 711SFH Guaranteed $634,290,093 6,772 $103,082,934 1,030 $97,134,658 949 $834,507,685 8,751SFH Repairs $2,498,370 455 $96,118 17 $62,276 11 $2,656,764 483SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $3,379,066 19 $485,925 2 $0 0 $3,864,991 21MFH Guaranteed $807,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $807,000 1Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $37,671,600 676 $5,758,368 105 $8,251,751 149 $51,681,719 930CF Direct $194,865,200 57 $8,807,900 3 $34,337,900 9 $238,011,000 69CF Guaranteed $56,895,000 11 $6,100,000 1 $1,744,000 1 $64,739,000 13CF Grants $3,653,820 84 $298,700 6 $741,200 18 $4,693,720 108WWD Direct $58,762,500 68 $7,952,000 8 $10,864,500 15 $77,579,000 91WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $33,777,500 70 $2,990,600 16 $5,241,400 22 $42,009,500 108Telecom $153,195,502 34 $4,219,000 2 $309,807 2 $157,724,309 38Electric $27,619,000 3 $7,919,000 1 $0 0 $35,538,000 4All Other Programs $4,403,036 31 $1,014,358 132 $1,097,810 134 $6,515,205 297

NEBRASKA TOTAL $1,432,706,674 9,814 $163,273,281 1,447 $199,585,841 1,443 $1,795,565,796 12,704

USDA Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Vernita Dore presents a commemorative plaque to SRMC CEO Jason Petik at the grand opening.

Nebraska Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


NevadaBusiness Programs

High-Tech Firm Comes to Nevada to “Get the Lead Out”Aqua Metals is getting the lead out—the company developed a clean, environmentally friendly process to recycle used lead acid batteries. The company’s innovative process, that replaces traditional lead smelting, can reduce pollution and change lead battery recycling for good. But, the firm needed help to launch operations on a commercial scale.

USDA Rural Development partnered with lender Green Bank to provide Aqua Metals with a $10 million Business & Industry guaranteed loan for its “AquaRefinery” recycling facility. Company leaders chose the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, in Storey County, NV, just west of Reno, as the location for their start-up enterprise. The county is known for encouraging business development. Additionally, the industrial center has not only attracted other high-tech industries, but a large regional battery distributor, a source of used batteries, is located nearby.

The total cost of the Aqua Metals refinery was about $33.5 million.

Company leaders saw USDA as a great resource for business capital. “We will have more opportunities to work with USDA

at additional sites as we intend to build multiple plants,” Steve Cotton, Aqua Metals Chief Commercial Officer, said. “Further, we saw opportunities to work with USDA to offer other programs such as affordable housing as we build our employee base.”

Aqua Metals opened its new 138,000-square-foot lead recycling facility in July 2016 and is scaling up its processing capacity. The company expects to have 40 new employees working at the facility by year-end, and to create another 30 jobs by 2018. The company is already planning for expansion and is seeking a location for its next regional facility.


B&I $59,896,840 25 $12,841,000 3 $27,989,500 6 $100,727,340 34IRP $1,700,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,700,000 2Renewable Energy $1,136,788 55 $761,439 15 $139,691 4 $2,037,918 74Business Grants $1,959,687 45 $273,940 6 $257,676 7 $2,491,303 58REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $129,251 4 $0 0 $99,499 2 $228,750 6SFH Direct $57,209,263 408 $7,920,619 47 $6,511,566 41 $71,641,448 496SFH Guaranteed $607,709,704 3,885 $118,377,881 626 $109,314,236 551 $835,401,821 5,062SFH Repairs $1,434,511 262 $158,063 32 $108,413 24 $1,700,987 318SFH Self-Help Grants $1,058,832 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,058,832 3MFH Direct $577,613 4 $0 0 $1,736,250 4 $2,313,863 8MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $1,560,620 1 $1,300,000 1 $2,860,620 2Farm Labor Housing $31,171 1 $0 0 $0 0 $31,171 1Rental Assistance $48,468,660 313 $9,023,952 55 $11,031,062 64 $68,523,674 432CF Direct $25,442,959 18 $802,000 1 $15,835,300 6 $42,080,259 25CF Guaranteed $2,448,922 1 $0 0 $0 0 $2,448,922 1CF Grants $1,302,540 49 $150,400 8 $238,286 12 $1,691,226 69WWD Direct $33,015,587 20 $10,341,000 4 $18,195,000 2 $61,551,587 26WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $18,695,634 30 $17,276,225 7 $2,402,589 2 $38,374,448 39Telecom $20,119,688 10 $377,772 1 $1,361,542 3 $21,859,002 14Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $109,084,202 20 $126,862 5 $101,070 5 $109,312,133 30

NEVADA TOTAL $991,421,852 5,155 $179,991,772 811 $196,621,679 734 $1,368,035,304 6,700

USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Sam Rikkers (left) tours the new Aqua Metals facility that was supported through the USDA Business & Industry Guaranteed Loan Program.

Nevada Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


New HampshireCommunity Programs

Rural Community Comes Together to Build ClinicA low-interest loan from USDA Rural Development is enabling the community of Mascoma, NH, to bring comprehensive healthcare services to patients in an area that currently suffers from a lack of facilities.

The project is the result of a collaboration by residents of five local towns, who came together in 2013 to establish Mascoma Community Healthcare, Inc. Its goal was a clinic that served all residents in need, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The organization raised over half a million dollars to support the project and obtained a plot of land central to the region so that no client would need to travel excessive distances to reach healthcare. It also created an operating plan for the health center that would manage its growth from an initial 11-staff-person operation serving 2,500 patients, to a federally qualified health center employing 44 health service professionals and serving 8,000 community members.

The main financing for the project came from a $3.4 million USDA Rural Development Community Facilities loan. With USDA’s assistance, this rural New Hampshire community is constructing and equipping a 13,280-square-foot clinic that, when complete, will provide medical, mental health, dental care, x-ray, pharmaceutical, and physical therapy services to patients across the region.


B&I $28,847,420 12 $2,000,000 3 $5,000,000 1 $35,847,420 16IRP $4,525,000 9 $500,000 1 $0 0 $5,025,000 10Renewable Energy $3,669,307 84 $1,332,526 42 $728,109 33 $5,729,943 159Business Grants $2,073,377 45 $212,795 5 $174,000 7 $2,460,172 57REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $748,381 7 $95,740 3 $163,136 1 $1,007,257 11SFH Direct $94,779,196 671 $9,038,645 72 $14,257,265 106 $118,075,106 849SFH Guaranteed $914,622,899 5,493 $146,878,294 827 $117,359,433 666 $1,178,860,626 6,986SFH Repairs $3,742,760 566 $774,514 114 $719,557 111 $5,236,831 791SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $15,600,045 28 $12,061,073 9 $7,327,855 8 $34,988,973 45MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $61,205,044 432 $12,370,200 74 $15,023,875 96 $88,599,119 602CF Direct $17,095,500 11 $4,883,000 3 $38,613,000 10 $60,591,500 24CF Guaranteed $5,207,800 8 $0 0 $0 0 $5,207,800 8CF Grants $2,569,553 98 $423,200 13 $373,700 18 $3,366,453 129WWD Direct $68,533,000 31 $7,707,000 4 $6,160,000 6 $82,400,000 41WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $50,776,457 47 $5,971,300 7 $4,740,919 15 $61,488,676 69Telecom $3,962,137 8 $919,179 2 $5,473,000 1 $10,354,316 11Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $500,000 11 $109,100 15 $110,206 13 $719,306 39

NEW HAMPSHIRE TOTAL $1,278,457,876 7,561 $205,276,566 1,194 $216,224,055 1,092 $1,699,958,498 9,847

Mascoma Valley residents celebrated the ground-breaking for their new community health center in May 2016.

New Hampshire Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


New JerseyWater and Environmental Programs

USDA Helps Bring Safe, Clean Water to the Borough of WoodbineUSDA Rural Development awarded $2 million in loans and grants to help the Woodbine Municipal Utilities Authority (WMUA) upgrade the Borough of Woodbine’s aging water system.

WMUA will use the funds to make critical repairs and improvements to the borough’s existing water treatment and distribution system, which has been in operation for over 40 years. Most of the equipment has reached the end of its useful lifespan and needs to be replaced. The renovations will also help ensure that the facility meets present-day State and Federal environmental requirements to better protect the health and safety of local residents.

The Borough of Woodbine has high poverty and unemployment and is one of New Jersey’s most distressed municipalities. USDA Rural Development is targeting assistance to the borough through our Community Economic Development initiative which focuses on regional approaches to reduce rural poverty. This project will not only improve the water quality and natural environment, but it will also create local jobs while helping the local economy.

As construction costs keep rising throughout the Garden State, small rural communities—especially ones struggling economically—could not take on the cost of large infrastructure projects without affordable financing. USDA Rural Development partners with local organizations to extend the reach of our programs and make more projects possible. USDA Rural Development and the Borough of Woodbine partnered with the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, which is providing additional financing for this project.

Thanks to this collaboration between USDA, borough leaders, and State partners, rural residents in Woodbine will benefit from a modern, safe water treatment system.


B&I $24,195,680 9 $10,000,000 1 $0 0 $34,195,680 10IRP $1,948,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,948,000 3Renewable Energy $6,531,084 72 $990,556 10 $499,000 15 $8,020,640 97Business Grants $1,232,548 19 $156,000 3 $166,000 5 $1,554,548 27REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $626,582 10 $550,000 5 $733,978 4 $1,910,560 19SFH Direct $69,117,396 404 $10,315,309 66 $8,491,362 53 $87,924,067 523SFH Guaranteed $1,182,710,007 6,619 $168,299,923 978 $113,928,515 668 $1,464,938,445 8,265SFH Repairs $841,441 137 $94,460 14 $167,849 23 $1,103,750 174SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $18,679,485 16 $0 0 $393,883 1 $19,073,368 17MFH Guaranteed $4,999,999 1 $0 0 $2,199,943 1 $7,199,942 2Farm Labor Housing $325,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $325,000 1Rental Assistance $53,240,192 288 $8,956,512 50 $12,184,584 66 $74,381,288 404CF Direct $26,600,000 32 $35,000 1 $15,313,500 9 $41,948,500 42CF Guaranteed $3,490,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $3,490,000 2CF Grants $1,980,206 47 $154,000 5 $266,400 8 $2,400,606 60WWD Direct $83,510,500 52 $10,466,000 5 $14,329,000 6 $108,305,500 63WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $36,391,697 53 $2,900,000 6 $3,523,000 8 $42,814,697 67Telecom $318,464 2 $0 0 $0 0 $318,464 2Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $1,953,466 16 $431,721 41 $389,978 41 $2,775,166 98

NEW JERSEY TOTAL $1,518,691,747 7,783 $213,349,481 1,185 $172,586,992 908 $1,904,628,220 9,876

USDA and other Federal, State, and local leaders join residents in celebrating recent funding to help the Borough of Woodbine upgrade its failing water treatment system.

New Jersey Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


New MexicoEnergy Programs

Leveraging the New Mexico Sunshine to Benefit Rural BusinessesUSDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) helps finance renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements for rural small businesses and agricultural producers. Nine businesses and farms in and around Taos, NM, received REAP assistance for improvements that have reduced their energy footprint, their dependence on traditional fossil fuel-based sources of energy, and reduced the impact on the environment—all at the same time.

For example, Angel Fire Dentistry installed an 8.1 kW (kilowatt) photovoltaic solar panel array on the roof of the office that is just shy of meeting all of the clinic’s energy needs. Black Mesa Winery used a REAP grant to install low-energy Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures and bulbs and upgrade the lighting at their winery tasting room. And in Peñasco, NM, owner Alessandra Ogren installed a 4 kW photovoltaic system atop the local theater that’s completely covering its energy needs.

Several artisans leveraged the REAP, too. Joanne Dekeuster installed a solar power system for her Taos pottery gallery, Enchanted Circle Pottery. In Arroyo Seco, Amanda Stepleford replaced nearly all of her

electricity use with a 5.4 kW solar panel array at her ceramic studio. In El Prado, potter Logan Wannamaker is getting all of his power through a new, nearly 10 kW solar panel system at his clay studio.

Elsewhere, REAP-financed solar panels are powering the well pump and pig barn on Lanny and Tammy Kuykendall’s farm, and completely powering apple producer Patrick Montoya’s family orchard. In San Cristobal, organic farmer Elizabeth Vom Dorp installed photovoltaic solar panels and energy-efficient space heaters at 10 cabins on her property, as well as an energy-efficient hot water boiler.

All told, the nine New Mexico enterprises received about $102,250 through USDA Rural Development’s REAP. The energy savings are not just boosting these businesses’ bottom line: the cleaner, greener operations are also benefitting the communities they call home.


B&I $63,988,821 25 $8,429,250 4 $14,122,589 8 $86,540,660 37IRP $567,000 2 $250,000 1 $600,000 2 $1,417,000 5Renewable Energy $2,607,993 82 $1,193,530 36 $2,125,375 22 $5,926,898 140Business Grants $3,332,569 43 $574,146 9 $386,085 14 $4,292,800 66REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $1,028,927 11 $708,590 6 $768,261 6 $2,505,778 23SFH Direct $65,599,813 540 $15,332,350 117 $11,515,295 82 $92,447,458 739SFH Guaranteed $300,220,495 2,141 $50,478,708 361 $34,985,273 242 $385,684,476 2,744SFH Repairs $2,497,525 353 $458,061 62 $490,111 65 $3,445,698 480SFH Self-Help Grants $1,739,085 5 $1,421,677 4 $0 0 $3,160,762 9MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Guaranteed $1,949,000 5 $1,791,000 1 $5,075,000 1 $8,815,000 7Farm Labor Housing $5,759,848 3 $0 0 $0 0 $5,759,848 3Rental Assistance $78,693,105 509 $15,977,240 91 $18,599,644 106 $113,269,989 706CF Direct $72,944,441 30 $503,400 4 $0 0 $73,447,841 34CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0CF Grants $3,301,909 48 $347,200 5 $450,440 5 $4,099,549 58WWD Direct $64,413,042 50 $7,249,000 3 $1,788,000 4 $73,450,042 57WWD Guaranteed $84,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $84,000 1WWD Grants $113,200,590 154 $17,086,672 9 $10,662,100 10 $140,949,362 173Telecom $191,454,763 34 $5,835,715 2 $14,430,019 3 $211,720,497 39Electric $372,087,000 17 $53,428,000 2 $0 0 $425,515,000 19All Other Programs $62,373,278 30 $3,141,499 41 $1,688,259 40 $67,203,035 111

NEW MEXICO TOTAL $1,407,843,204 4,083 $184,206,038 758 $117,686,451 610 $1,709,735,693 5,451

The nine business owners gathered together in Taos, NM, in January 2016 to celebrate USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program.

New Mexico Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


New YorkBusiness Programs

USDA Helps Revive Oneida County Bottled Water CompanyIn November 2015, Wade Abraham and Paul Rayhill, two business partners from central New York, became the new owners of a bottled water company in Forestport, NY, after they successfully bid on it at a Federal Bankruptcy Court auction.

“We were awarded it on November 20th, started managing it the week of Thanksgiving, closed the loan on December 30th, and we’ve been running it since,” Rayhill said.

The company, now known as Alder Creek Beverage, bottles and sells pristine spring water from wells on the property in the Adirondack Mountain foothills. USDA Rural Development partnered with Adirondack Bank to provide Abraham and Rayhill with a $7.5 million Business & Industry loan guarantee to purchase the plant and keep the business going. This saved 50 jobs in an economically challenged community where many locals have lost jobs as the forestry industry realigns. Their bidding competitors at the auction intended to sell the business assets and close the facility.

Abraham and Rayhill are committed to keeping and restoring jobs in the area, which sorely needs them. They are aggressively

building their customer base, adding jobs at the plant, and improving their bottom line.

Today, Alder Creek Beverage is doing well as the new owners fine-tune operations. Every day, countless newly molded bottles stream overhead and snake through the production line to be filled, packaged, and whisked away to waiting delivery trucks. The plant employees take great pride in their work and want to see Alder Creek Beverage grow and compete as one of the best-tasting spring water providers in the world.

Thanks to USDA Rural Development, two rural entrepreneurs are succeeding and providing quality jobs for local workers. Abraham and Rayhill are planning to start a second production line that will create 10 more new jobs at the plant.


B&I $261,142,647 126 $13,309,400 9 $18,613,000 8 $293,065,047 143IRP $5,722,000 11 $0 0 $420,573 1 $6,142,573 12Renewable Energy $8,836,999 355 $3,019,914 90 $891,454 38 $12,748,367 483Business Grants $7,717,368 90 $1,075,768 14 $1,170,769 17 $9,963,905 121REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $2,948,541 38 $3,315,819 28 $2,579,655 16 $8,844,015 82SFH Direct $121,462,134 1,167 $18,222,297 147 $16,417,530 137 $156,101,961 1,451SFH Guaranteed $1,304,090,409 11,379 $232,789,089 1,958 $200,029,528 1,656 $1,736,909,026 14,993SFH Repairs $7,280,047 1,305 $928,457 173 $1,128,650 207 $9,337,154 1,685SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $26,939,157 46 $10,541,325 13 $1,339,999 2 $38,820,481 61MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $118,786,399 1,105 $23,821,284 211 $32,883,324 265 $175,491,007 1,581CF Direct $89,459,670 101 $6,601,000 16 $44,617,100 24 $140,677,770 141CF Guaranteed $22,568,400 7 $0 0 $0 0 $22,568,400 7CF Grants $6,335,944 111 $878,800 16 $1,355,700 23 $8,570,444 150WWD Direct $242,796,000 192 $27,166,000 18 $23,306,500 18 $293,268,500 228WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $156,294,911 206 $11,817,000 29 $8,213,000 26 $176,324,911 261Telecom $64,795,912 42 $482,183 2 $221,780 1 $65,499,875 45Electric $20,532,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $20,532,000 4All Other Programs $6,379,244 46 $968,888 122 $933,237 114 $8,281,369 282

NEW YORK TOTAL $2,474,087,782 16,331 $354,937,224 2,846 $354,121,800 2,553 $3,183,146,806 21,730

Bottled water streams off the production line at Alder Creek Beverage.

New York Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


North CarolinaHousing Programs

USDA Helps Increase Affordable Rental Housing in PittsboroChatham County, NC, contains pockets of poverty even though its income ranks in the top five for the State. This fact alone presents challenges for lower income residents seeking affordable housing. But a new apartment complex, Bellemont Pointe Apartments, in Pittsboro, NC, has helped to relieve the shortage of rental housing for these local families.

USDA Rural Development partnered with Carolina Bank, Solstice Partners, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, Community Affordable Housing Equity Corporation, and GEM Management to develop and finance the housing complex. USDA provided a guarantee on a $10.5 million loan made by Carolina Bank to build the new complex for low- to moderate-income tenants. The grand opening was in July 2016.

One local resident became disabled and is unable to work in her field of education. She says that finding affordable housing was difficult, but living in Bellemont Pointe Apartments means that she can start over and get back on her feet again.

Just 3 months after opening, the complex was fully occupied, with a waiting list of 87 individuals and families. The 76-unit property features one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a community center, computer room, fitness center, covered picnic area, and playground.

In FY 2016, USDA has invested more than $35 million for 19 rural rental housing projects in North Carolina through the Multi-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program.


B&I $318,399,023 152 $55,408,600 23 $41,927,054 24 $415,734,677 199IRP $5,577,480 9 $326,067 1 $839,627 2 $6,743,174 12Renewable Energy $97,496,268 522 $153,066,364 128 $114,134,476 76 $364,697,109 726Business Grants $7,271,794 99 $858,700 13 $932,000 6 $9,062,494 118REDLG $31,750,500 45 $6,493,231 16 $8,204,767 22 $46,448,498 83VAPG $2,818,992 23 $619,579 6 $1,375,245 12 $4,813,816 41SFH Direct $310,051,214 2,375 $49,010,396 359 $59,797,948 388 $418,859,557 3,122SFH Guaranteed $5,811,563,964 42,281 $941,430,795 6,666 $841,365,433 5,810 $7,594,360,192 54,757SFH Repairs $17,835,620 2,859 $3,318,470 480 $3,405,726 522 $24,559,816 3,861SFH Self-Help Grants $3,904,549 15 $1,085,727 4 $0 0 $4,990,276 19MFH Direct $79,836,060 68 $10,965,363 11 $15,303,475 15 $106,104,898 94MFH Guaranteed $21,982,267 19 $4,875,257 3 $39,566,129 23 $66,423,653 45Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $342,695,426 2,493 $69,932,737 473 $88,358,782 571 $500,986,945 3,537CF Direct $485,423,601 278 $74,674,900 39 $150,169,050 55 $710,267,551 372CF Guaranteed $83,813,631 22 $4,600,000 2 $18,301,018 7 $106,714,649 31CF Grants $17,982,336 241 $1,037,066 25 $1,442,700 33 $20,462,102 299WWD Direct $311,928,004 137 $24,584,000 15 $41,661,800 21 $378,173,804 173WWD Guaranteed $20,823,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $20,823,000 6WWD Grants $135,330,832 108 $14,961,475 23 $10,835,781 24 $161,128,088 155Telecom $153,555,382 30 $0 0 $1,257,630 5 $154,813,012 35Electric $1,143,134,000 43 $141,860,000 10 $277,600,000 9 $1,562,594,000 62All Other Programs $111,060,109 68 $761,179 71 $2,505,049 70 $114,326,336 209

NORTH CAROLINA TOTAL $9,514,234,052 51,893 $1,559,869,905 8,368 $1,718,983,689 7,695 $12,793,087,647 67,956

Bellemont Point Apartments, a new, affordable multi-family housing complex in rural Pittsboro, NC.

North Carolina Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


North DakotaCommunity Programs

Serving More Rural Families with Expanded Child Care CenterLike many rural communities across North Dakota, Casselton, a town of 2,500 people, is struggling with a lack of childcare services. In an effort to combat this childcare shortage, the Sonshine Center recently expanded by building a new daycare and preschool facility.

“We always have a long waiting list,” said Sonshine Co-Director Jessica Hoglund. “With the completion of our new building, and as we hire more staff, we will be able to provide care for more children and continue to reduce our wait list.”

With a $969,300 Community Facilities loan from USDA Rural Development, the center built a 5,400-square-foot facility with the capacity to accommodate up to 88 children from 6-weeks- to 12-years-old. The daycare opened in May 2016, the culmination of years of planning and hard work.

Sonshine previously served 60 children from leased space from a local motel and a school-owned facility. This created logistical issues for families with multiple children during pick-ups and

drop-offs. It was also difficult for Sonshine to provide meals at both locations.

The new facility solves all of those issues by bringing the children and all the amenities together under one roof. The more convenient, efficient building—ideally located near Casselton’s city’s park, swimming pool, and library—has secure access, a large, commercial kitchen, and a 5,000-square-foot outdoor play area with playground equipment.

Hoglund said that the new facility would not have been possible without the USDA financing, which accounted for more than 80 percent of the construction costs.


B&I $113,415,465 54 $11,852,841 4 $18,087,864 4 $143,356,170 62IRP $1,810,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,810,000 5Renewable Energy $3,530,201 85 $461,045 13 $458,773 16 $4,450,019 114Business Grants $3,985,475 56 $1,612,074 14 $717,217 11 $6,314,766 81REDLG $19,894,168 29 $0 0 $3,000,000 3 $22,894,168 32VAPG $210,825 4 $124,182 3 $250,000 1 $585,007 8SFH Direct $37,295,062 312 $3,892,074 27 $3,321,179 22 $44,508,315 361SFH Guaranteed $304,827,763 2,419 $56,919,262 401 $46,719,530 322 $408,466,555 3,142SFH Repairs $2,044,407 324 $131,040 19 $160,143 22 $2,335,590 365SFH Self-Help Grants $10,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $10,000 1MFH Direct $4,963,854 20 $0 0 $0 0 $4,963,854 20MFH Guaranteed $26,777,939 8 $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $27,777,939 9Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $24,948,996 414 $4,020,192 77 $6,686,562 103 $35,655,750 594CF Direct $132,250,657 50 $19,730,550 7 $62,811,500 10 $214,792,707 67CF Guaranteed $46,534,898 18 $10,300,000 1 $600,000 1 $57,434,898 20CF Grants $5,599,128 63 $940,900 10 $1,089,000 12 $7,629,028 85WWD Direct $78,732,749 65 $9,747,369 11 $16,076,000 8 $104,556,118 84WWD Guaranteed $1,750,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $1,750,000 2WWD Grants $50,075,707 57 $3,826,500 8 $8,100,753 10 $62,002,960 75Telecom $376,653,068 39 $60,328,612 5 $55,279,000 2 $492,260,680 46Electric $2,447,440,000 42 $116,147,000 4 $65,975,000 1 $2,629,562,000 47All Other Programs $5,247,289 27 $623,720 60 $604,707 89 $6,475,716 176

NORTH DAKOTA TOTAL $3,687,997,651 4,094 $301,657,361 665 $289,937,228 637 $4,279,592,239 5,396

Infants play at the new Sonshine Center daycare.

North Dakota Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


OhioCommunity Programs

USDA Loan Helps Move Property From Vacant to ValuableThe largest Community Facilities loan in the history of Ohio Rural Development—more than $91 million—is helping shepherd modern healthcare services to Ohio’s heartland and breathing new life into an abandoned department store.

Avita Health System is on the leading edge of a trend USDA expects to see more of in the future: the repurposing of valuable, viable real estate that resurrects vacant shopping malls and other forgotten spaces along America’s rural corridors.

Located in the Mansfield suburb of Ontario in the circa-1970s Richland Mall, the nearly 198,000 square-foot facility will include a new inpatient hospital, and surgical and intensive care units as well as an emergency services department along with support clinics and laboratories.

With two critical-access hospitals and dozens of offices serving the area, Avita’s work in north-central Ohio already is impressive. The company has brought meaningful employment to an area sandwiched between the Farm Belt and the Rust Belt, employing more than 50 physicians and nearly a thousand Ohioans. About

$68.7 million in Community Facilities funds are targeted for the building conversion itself, with the balance going toward equipment purchases.

The project contributes to the rebirth of a region that got the wind knocked out of it when a major manufacturer—General Motors’ Fisher Body Stamping Plant—declared bankruptcy during the Great Recession.

When completed in January 2017, the Ontario Avita project is anticipated to create more than 350 new jobs and will provide healthcare to nearly 125,000 residents in north-central Ohio.


B&I $267,662,635 98 $34,957,000 7 $44,706,855 13 $347,326,490 118IRP $2,709,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $2,709,000 6Renewable Energy $52,686,912 371 $3,067,910 85 $2,616,518 41 $58,371,340 497Business Grants $6,861,202 62 $729,000 8 $761,550 12 $8,351,752 82REDLG $1,872,926 2 $0 0 $200,000 1 $2,072,926 3VAPG $973,538 11 $199,227 5 $188,559 2 $1,361,324 18SFH Direct $206,800,551 1,905 $20,367,532 197 $21,900,270 204 $249,068,353 2,306SFH Guaranteed $2,769,262,153 26,422 $557,192,812 5,085 $499,196,783 4,515 $3,825,651,748 36,022SFH Repairs $8,237,803 1,681 $1,236,530 216 $1,679,524 331 $11,153,857 2,228SFH Self-Help Grants $1,361,030 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,361,030 3MFH Direct $37,582,763 64 $1,294,655 8 $2,872,762 4 $41,750,180 76MFH Guaranteed $20,956,295 22 $4,941,335 6 $3,725,000 3 $29,622,630 31Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $131,344,584 1,645 $24,861,817 310 $31,121,665 360 $187,328,066 2,315CF Direct $83,529,125 82 $92,227,200 20 $70,954,500 29 $246,710,825 131CF Guaranteed $16,900,500 8 $0 0 $0 0 $16,900,500 8CF Grants $4,415,937 90 $540,000 11 $1,318,063 19 $6,274,000 120WWD Direct $157,284,000 72 $27,900,000 11 $44,561,000 16 $229,745,000 99WWD Guaranteed $11,000,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $11,000,000 2WWD Grants $108,538,710 77 $12,133,300 15 $14,041,805 17 $134,713,815 109Telecom $46,015,971 33 $248,649 1 $391,886 2 $46,656,506 36Electric $360,965,000 24 $34,500,000 3 $53,600,000 4 $449,065,000 31All Other Programs $8,134,051 53 $1,109,372 104 $1,830,464 159 $11,073,887 316

OHIO TOTAL $4,305,094,686 32,733 $817,506,339 6,092 $795,667,203 5,732 $5,918,268,228 44,557

USDA Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Vernita Dore at the grand opening of the new Avita Health System facility in Ontario, OH.

Ohio Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


OklahomaBusiness and Community Programs

Culture, History, and Partnerships Leveraged to Revitalize African-American CommunityRentiesville is one of 50 rural “black towns” that emerged in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the post-Civil War era as African-Americans sought to escape persecution and build new lives.

Today Rentiesville is a very small rural community—of about 130 people—with historic and cultural assets that provide distinct opportunities to reverse decades of decline and poverty. It’s home to a major Civil War battlefield; blues legend D.C. Minner; scholar and civil rights leader John Hope Franklin; and the region’s largest blues festival.

In an effort to increase economic opportunity in Rentiesville, USDA Rural Development worked with a broad, diverse range of partners to develop amenities and attractions to capitalize on the town’s cultural and historic assets and lure visitors off the nearby interstate highway. USDA led the effort to encourage cooperation between community institutions and coordinate the strategic planning to identify projects and potential resources to build them.

Central to Rentiesville’s revival is the new Honey Springs Battlefield Visitor’s Center, the result of a multi-million-dollar partnership between USDA Rural Development; two other Federal agencies, two State agencies; the Chickasaw Nation; McIntosh County; philanthropists; and local businesses and nonprofits. The U.S. National Park Service estimates 150,000 visitors and $9 million annually in revenue from the project.

To help Rentiesville capture even more tourist dollars, USDA Rural Development partnered with the regional development organization and the Muscogee Nation to help town leaders construct historically inspired cottages to provide lodging for local visitors. USDA also partnered with the local rural electric cooperative to preserve the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame and Museum through structural repairs and making the historic building accessible for people with disabilities.

USDA Rural Development was the lead investor, providing a Community Facilities (CF) Direct Loan, a CF Guaranteed Loan, two Business Development Grants, and two CF Grants. However, half of the Rentiesville investments have come from non-USDA partners. Alone, USDA lacks the resources for such large-scale projects in such a small, impoverished community. But with plenty of creativity and enough partners, it’s still possible to make big things happen in small towns.


B&I $296,654,214 85 $24,234,124 6 $34,399,500 11 $355,287,838 102IRP $2,646,749 6 $0 0 $1,500,000 2 $4,146,749 8Renewable Energy $16,144,606 82 $1,679,139 15 $831,198 19 $18,654,944 116Business Grants $6,772,018 55 $1,088,068 10 $831,567 7 $8,691,653 72REDLG $2,141,370 7 $0 0 $300,000 1 $2,441,370 8VAPG $1,050,152 7 $322,211 3 $39,441 1 $1,411,804 11SFH Direct $118,299,957 1,242 $16,036,867 148 $14,730,930 136 $149,067,754 1,526SFH Guaranteed $1,807,542,077 16,501 $255,185,139 2,186 $235,355,793 1,995 $2,298,083,008 20,682SFH Repairs $4,404,528 717 $758,899 119 $422,890 67 $5,586,317 903SFH Self-Help Grants $8,999,716 19 $999,179 2 $2,166,439 3 $12,165,334 24MFH Direct $6,869,453 7 $0 0 $0 0 $6,869,453 7MFH Guaranteed $7,222,520 11 $725,000 1 $7,100,000 5 $15,047,520 17Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $103,101,105 1,189 $18,718,297 214 $23,258,567 241 $145,077,969 1,644CF Direct $21,399,779 13 $89,000 1 $25,000,000 1 $46,488,779 15CF Guaranteed $11,444,290 9 $30,000,000 1 $0 0 $41,444,290 10CF Grants $8,128,333 146 $1,672,600 34 $1,527,900 33 $11,328,833 213WWD Direct $144,090,430 89 $18,537,000 8 $29,353,300 11 $191,980,730 108WWD Guaranteed $391,000 1 $1,026,000 2 $205,000 1 $1,622,000 4WWD Grants $130,575,958 86 $16,859,378 15 $21,039,168 19 $168,474,504 120Telecom $308,582,974 74 $22,960,051 4 $4,522,527 6 $336,065,552 84Electric $920,348,147 35 $40,397,000 3 $41,207,000 3 $1,001,952,147 41All Other Programs $116,034,929 44 $17,792,864 51 $18,948,043 79 $152,775,836 174

OKLAHOMA TOTAL $4,042,844,305 20,425 $469,080,816 2,823 $462,739,262 2,641 $4,974,664,384 25,889

USDA Rural Development Oklahoma State Director Ryan McMullen, with Rentiesville Mayor Mildred Burkhalter outside the new Honey Springs Battlefield Visitor’s Center. The center is expected to generate about $9 million annually in tourism revenue.

Oklahoma Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


OregonWater and Environmental Programs

New Wetlands Provide Environmentally Friendly Wastewater TreatmentThe City of Prineville broke ground for the new Crooked River Wetlands in 2016. A component of the city’s wastewater system improvements funded by USDA Rural Development with State and local partners, the wetlands will utilize the natural environment to gradually reintroduce clean, treated wastewater into the Crooked River, reducing sediment and water temperatures.

Prineville’s current system began operation in 1960, when the population was just 3,260. Today, it serves nearly three times as many residents with Facebook and Apple each building their third data center in the area. With $5 million in funding from USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Program, the city will install new sewer main lines, upgrade the pump station, and improve the lagoon aeration system.

The key feature of this $8.9 million project is the addition of 120 acres of wetlands, which will increase the plant’s capacity while eliminating the discharge of treated wastewater directly into

the Crooked River. The wetlands will benefit fish and wildlife and also provide recreational opportunities through 5 miles of new hiking trails dotted with 13 educational kiosks developed by local school kids.

The Crooked River Wetlands exemplifies environmentally friendly growth and development. It will save Prineville $57 million over the life of the project compared with the alternative of building a new mechanical treatment plant, helping to stabilize future utility rates and support a thriving local economy, all while also protecting water quality and a healthy watershed for future generations.


B&I $222,396,032 111 $65,426,044 19 $86,286,865 24 $374,108,941 154IRP $2,127,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $2,127,000 6Renewable Energy $22,470,613 324 $1,473,906 89 $64,935,656 56 $88,880,174 469Business Grants $5,944,582 173 $553,346 13 $477,484 13 $6,975,412 199REDLG $1,884,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $1,884,000 5VAPG $3,600,683 38 $2,047,294 17 $1,928,410 13 $7,576,387 68SFH Direct $116,727,104 767 $12,027,291 72 $10,759,444 67 $139,513,839 906SFH Guaranteed $2,461,395,258 15,348 $445,413,783 2,519 $367,469,839 2,000 $3,274,278,880 19,867SFH Repairs $2,365,151 404 $116,860 26 $239,006 35 $2,721,017 465SFH Self-Help Grants $3,042,717 9 $655,050 1 $0 0 $3,697,767 10MFH Direct $6,520,194 12 $2,964,658 4 $0 0 $9,484,852 16MFH Guaranteed $7,850,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $7,850,000 3Farm Labor Housing $18,627,438 16 $0 0 $3,545,559 3 $22,172,997 19Rental Assistance $97,522,504 906 $18,801,288 158 $27,820,656 203 $144,144,448 1,267CF Direct $26,781,453 10 $20,961,000 3 $1,887,809 1 $49,630,262 14CF Guaranteed $12,389,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $12,389,000 2CF Grants $1,114,098 28 $222,237 5 $631,176 11 $1,967,511 44WWD Direct $95,595,867 31 $29,962,515 8 $10,794,000 4 $136,352,382 43WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $51,989,485 38 $7,520,863 8 $6,597,182 10 $66,107,530 56Telecom $75,268,962 34 $202,643 1 $98,713 1 $75,570,318 36Electric $54,734,000 5 $47,076,000 2 $0 0 $101,810,000 7All Other Programs $234,445,694 25 $1,975,234 27 $1,339,489 53 $237,760,417 105

OREGON TOTAL $3,524,791,835 18,295 $657,400,012 2,972 $584,811,287 2,494 $4,767,003,134 23,761

Breaking ground for Crooked River Wetlands, part of the new, environmentally conscious municipal wastewater disposal system in Prineville, OR, that will protect area natural resources, fish, and wildlife.

Oregon Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


PennsylvaniaBusiness and Community Programs

Community, USDA Rally to Give Historic Theater New Lease on LifeThe Berwick Theater was in danger of going under. The historic theater, originally built in the 1890s and nestled in the heart of downtown rural Berwick, PA, had changed with the times over the years from an opera house, a play house, to a movie theater. But it eventually fell into disrepair and was condemned. To stay open, the theater needed significant funding not just for renovations but also to modernize.

Members of the community banded together in an effort to revive Berwick Theater by converting it into a nonprofit organization to keep it running as a community landmark. Many local residents and organizations donated funds, including one major contribution of nearly $70,000, which was used to purchase the property and incorporate the nonprofit.

USDA Rural Development provided a $90,000 Rural Business Development Grant to purchase digital projection equipment, and a $50,000 Community Facilities grant to renovate the theater to meet current building codes and make it accessible for people with disabilities.

Following the renovations, the theater reopened in summer 2016. The board of directors plan to make the theater a hub for entertainment, community activities, and business events, to revitalize downtown Berwick and increase economic activity in the community.

“Not only will the theater once again be a center for local arts, but the renovations will create jobs, spur local businesses, and strengthen the identity of the community as a whole,” USDA Rural Development State Director Tom Williams said.


B&I $239,302,844 64 $25,760,000 7 $26,410,000 9 $291,472,844 80IRP $6,324,000 12 $2,173,933 4 $500,000 1 $8,997,933 17Renewable Energy $41,605,497 207 $3,135,243 72 $1,263,319 36 $46,004,059 315Business Grants $5,864,162 74 $709,000 10 $733,000 11 $7,306,162 95REDLG $109,812 1 $0 0 $0 0 $109,812 1VAPG $1,381,954 22 $689,428 10 $1,732,920 15 $3,804,302 47SFH Direct $181,782,049 1,286 $21,184,232 153 $23,390,950 174 $226,357,231 1,613SFH Guaranteed $3,520,259,710 26,664 $641,994,935 4,880 $591,853,418 4,393 $4,754,108,063 35,937SFH Repairs $10,305,098 2,025 $1,454,722 256 $1,752,763 323 $13,512,583 2,604SFH Self-Help Grants $2,092,569 6 $150,000 2 $0 0 $2,242,569 8MFH Direct $13,690,691 23 $8,235,775 12 $0 0 $21,926,466 35MFH Guaranteed $6,367,800 4 $3,500,000 1 $0 0 $9,867,800 5Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $136,011,372 1,157 $26,530,944 223 $34,698,535 279 $197,240,851 1,659CF Direct $305,241,250 150 $182,327,220 34 $3,972,840 19 $491,541,310 203CF Guaranteed $104,584,472 12 $16,950,000 1 $30,000,000 1 $151,534,472 14CF Grants $6,212,880 140 $683,800 23 $915,100 30 $7,811,780 193WWD Direct $356,552,850 104 $57,262,000 14 $38,654,900 10 $452,469,750 128WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $105,963,870 57 $16,864,800 10 $16,344,000 6 $139,172,670 73Telecom $4,382,538 18 $0 0 $1,040,955 4 $5,423,493 22Electric $152,142,000 9 $0 0 $18,000,000 1 $170,142,000 10All Other Programs $10,817,969 69 $707,067 16 $694,460 51 $12,219,497 136

PENNSYLVANIA TOTAL $5,210,995,387 32,104 $1,010,313,099 5,728 $791,957,160 5,363 $7,013,265,647 43,195

Members of USDA Rural Development and the Berwick Theater Board of Directors under the marquee on Front Street in downtown Berwick, PA.

Pennsylvania Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


Puerto RicoWater and Environmental Programs

Protecting Natural Resources and Promoting Economic Growth in Rural Puerto RicoVieques is a small, rural island located about 8 miles off Puerto Rico’s eastern coast, with a population of 9,350 people, living on just 52 square miles of land. Residents face serious economic hardships, such as very low income and a higher unemployment rate than that on the mainland.

Vieques’s landfill, located in the community of Puerto Diablo, is unsafe and a potential health, safety, and environmental hazard. The problems arose, in part, because despite being the largest community on the island, Puerto Diablo is also one of its most economically depressed places. The unemployment rate is almost 18 percent, the poverty rate is 37 percent, and residents’ per capita income is about $6,380. Municipal leaders needed help to implement adequate, responsible, professional, and safe management of the landfill.

USDA Rural Development provided a $54,000 Solid Waste Management Grant for technical assistance and training to better manage the site. The Cooperativa de Servicios Profesionales, in collaboration with the Municipality of Vieques, Puerto Rico Sierra Club, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Department of

Education, and community leaders, are teaching local residents about conservation of water resources and helping to implement a recycling and composting program.

USDA Rural Development is targeting assistance to Vieques through its StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative to combat rural poverty. The recycling and composting program is expected to create new jobs in this economically distressed locale.

With this USDA Rural Development assistance, this community will have the opportunity to reinforce sustainability through a successful solid waste management program.


B&I $42,158,384 20 $2,777,136 4 $0 0 $44,935,520 24IRP $1,067,000 3 $486,861 1 $0 0 $1,553,861 4Renewable Energy $1,324,867 28 $1,241,250 16 $737,915 20 $3,304,032 64Business Grants $2,512,327 25 $246,000 6 $253,000 6 $3,011,327 37REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $2,056,390 10 $1,683,000 8 $1,590,006 8 $5,329,396 26SFH Direct $93,845,877 968 $13,734,011 136 $11,661,173 114 $119,241,061 1,218SFH Guaranteed $1,974,012,420 16,933 $245,216,423 2,169 $224,659,572 1,997 $2,443,888,415 21,099SFH Repairs $2,995,775 548 $512,670 88 $789,260 152 $4,297,705 788SFH Self-Help Grants $315,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $315,000 1MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $2,417,979 2 $0 0 $0 0 $2,417,979 2Rental Assistance $105,462,216 369 $17,572,893 61 $26,809,671 87 $149,844,780 517CF Direct $54,514,450 54 $13,879,322 16 $18,000,592 14 $86,394,364 84CF Guaranteed $3,144,480 2 $0 0 $0 0 $3,144,480 2CF Grants $3,136,142 59 $198,400 9 $320,300 7 $3,654,842 75WWD Direct $83,693,325 31 $11,714,000 7 $10,905,000 6 $106,312,325 44WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $33,628,598 37 $3,309,000 12 $3,229,000 5 $40,166,598 54Telecom $1,696,696 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,696,696 4Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $2,601,949 44 $125,237 11 $897,266 9 $3,624,451 64

PUERTO RICO TOTAL $2,410,583,875 19,138 $312,696,202 2,544 $299,852,755 2,425 $3,023,132,832 24,107

Future leaders learning about the recycling and composting program in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


Rhode IslandWater and Environmental Programs

USDA Helps Improve Quality of Life for Pascoag Utility District CustomersMore than 1,000 families in Rhode Island’s Pascoag Utility District will soon enjoy improved water quality, thanks to $2.4 million in loans and grants awarded by USDA Rural Development. Announced on Earth Day 2016, the funds are being used to upgrade nearly 30,000 feet of deteriorating water mains.

The improvements will support a self-help housing initiative in local Burillville Village, also financed by USDA Rural Development. The self-help project is helping 30 local low- and very low-income families construct their own affordable homes by providing their own “sweat equity.” Seven homes are already almost complete. Supervision and technical and assistance are provided by USDA’s partners in the initiative, Rhode Island Housing and Neighborworks®. When finished, the homes will be connected to high-quality water supplies through the Pascoag project.

The Pascoag water improvements project is the first project in southern New England submitted and approved through USDA Rural Development’s new “RD Apply” online application system.

RD Apply’s automated process reduces paperwork, eliminates bottlenecks, and saves time and money for communities applying for USDA utilities program loans and grants.

USDA assistance made the water system improvements possible at a reasonable cost to customers, said Michael Kirkwood, general manager and CEO of the Pascoag Utility District. “Commercial lenders were not a viable option for us,” he said. “The low interest rate, 40-year repayment term, and Federal grant made it doable without having to greatly increase utility costs.”


B&I $1,766,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,766,000 1IRP $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Renewable Energy $868,435 30 $876,023 14 $492,207 12 $2,236,665 56Business Grants $474,010 9 $83,000 3 $183,000 5 $740,010 17REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $200,000 2 $0 0 $37,500 1 $237,500 3SFH Direct $22,373,831 107 $2,729,865 11 $3,801,991 21 $28,905,687 139SFH Guaranteed $178,963,825 893 $32,893,222 154 $19,299,781 86 $231,156,828 1,133SFH Repairs $576,886 100 $88,921 15 $32,662 8 $698,469 123SFH Self-Help Grants $345,250 1 $0 0 $0 0 $345,250 1MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Guaranteed $1,114,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,114,000 1Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $10,806,120 63 $1,871,904 9 $3,569,557 16 $16,247,581 88CF Direct $17,394,090 11 $6,253,823 2 $5,460,562 2 $29,108,475 15CF Guaranteed $384,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $384,000 1CF Grants $448,578 20 $113,900 3 $174,000 8 $736,478 31WWD Direct $15,135,000 26 $4,760,000 2 $6,247,000 5 $26,142,000 33WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $13,534,950 31 $1,780,000 2 $1,842,000 5 $17,156,950 38Telecom $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $150,000 3 $23,592 3 $61,969 3 $235,561 9

RHODE ISLAND TOTAL $264,534,975 1,299 $51,474,250 218 $41,202,230 172 $357,211,454 1,689

Scott Soares (second from left), Rural Development State Director for Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, celebrates the award to improve the water system with Pascoag Utility District officials and other Rural Development employees.

Rhode Island Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


South CarolinaHousing Programs

USDA and Partners Help Residents After 1,000-Year FloodIn October 2015, South Carolina experienced a “1,000-year flood,” historic levels of rainfall, in the “Low Country” along the seacoast. Seventeen USDA Rural Development-financed multi-family housing properties in the State were impacted by the flood, but none more so than Meadowfield Apartments in rural Summerton, SC.

Residents of Meadowfield Apartments had to evacuate during the flash floods. They were relocated to other housing in the region, as representatives from USDA Rural Development, along with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, City of Manning, and many others, worked together to rebuild and repair the damage to the property.

Crews worked tirelessly for 7 days straight to remove more than 141 tons of debris and get the units ready for reconstruction. Word spread through the community about what had happened, and overwhelming support began to arrive. Many local agencies, churches, and organizations brought meals, supplies, water, and offers of help throughout the process.

Initial estimates to remove debris and rebuild the property exceeded $1.4 million. Through collaboration between USDA Rural Development and the partners, and volunteer efforts by debris-removal and construction crews, only approximately $400,000 was needed from the property’s reserve funds for the repairs.

In mid-December, the property was ready for occupancy again, and residents began arriving home just in time for Christmas. The generosity of the community continued, with donations of household goodie bags, gift cards, new mattresses from the Salvation Army, and lamps and chairs from the City of Manning. Renewal of Meadowfield Apartments was finished in just under 3 months, thanks to the spirit of cooperation between the government, the property managers, the community, and many others.


B&I $235,743,483 82 $14,882,500 7 $47,279,182 11 $297,905,165 100IRP $6,513,782 12 $400,000 1 $0 0 $6,913,782 13Renewable Energy $4,251,130 93 $239,099 16 $15,716,635 15 $20,206,864 124Business Grants $6,251,808 86 $620,000 11 $668,000 13 $7,539,808 110REDLG $15,865,560 22 $2,000,000 2 $3,300,000 4 $21,165,560 28VAPG $1,862,742 13 $1,130,254 5 $706,681 5 $3,699,677 23SFH Direct $192,621,739 1,563 $27,181,873 211 $22,501,048 172 $242,304,660 1,946SFH Guaranteed $2,782,720,792 21,115 $521,859,624 3,805 $489,583,164 3,503 $3,794,163,580 28,423SFH Repairs $9,036,280 1,270 $1,258,778 177 $1,487,588 219 $11,782,646 1,666SFH Self-Help Grants $275,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $275,000 1MFH Direct $27,625,372 33 $11,025,993 12 $3,175,612 5 $41,826,977 50MFH Guaranteed $18,634,251 22 $0 0 $2,450,000 2 $21,084,251 24Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $2,376,800 2 $840,215 2 $3,217,015 4Rental Assistance $151,201,104 1,254 $27,120,997 226 $40,084,358 304 $218,406,459 1,784CF Direct $256,835,310 97 $64,238,062 24 $99,467,098 34 $420,540,470 155CF Guaranteed $28,086,300 10 $15,000,000 2 $7,000,000 2 $50,086,300 14CF Grants $15,734,477 148 $1,388,700 37 $1,347,100 32 $18,470,277 217WWD Direct $312,093,292 110 $49,236,068 17 $62,977,000 13 $424,306,360 140WWD Guaranteed $1,323,600 1 $0 0 $3,100,000 1 $4,423,600 2WWD Grants $150,583,950 78 $12,691,199 14 $9,145,300 12 $172,420,449 104Telecom $205,429,974 21 $13,994,912 6 $1,274,853 4 $220,699,739 31Electric $823,545,000 19 $115,704,000 4 $302,421,000 5 $1,241,670,000 28All Other Programs $5,794,289 53 $1,757,743 202 $1,424,746 234 $8,976,778 489

SOUTH CAROLINA TOTAL $5,252,029,235 26,103 $884,106,602 4,781 $1,115,949,580 4,592 $7,252,085,417 35,476

One of the clean-up crews that helped repair flood damage to Meadowfield Apartments, a USDA Rural Development-financed rural rental housing property in Summerton, SC.

South Carolina Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


South DakotaBusiness Programs

USDA Helps South Dakota Tribe Explore Local Foods OptionsUSDA Rural Development in South Dakota is working with members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe to increase access to fresh, locally produced food. Championing local food projects can help the tribe stimulate economic development and job creation, promote education and positive eating habits in schools, increase access to healthy foods, and provide opportunities for beginning farmers to learn effective farming and marketing practices.

USDA Rural Development provided an $188,000 Rural Business Development Grant through USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative for a market study to determine demand for value-added foods in the area, and a feasibility study to help guide production of local foods.

USDA’s StrikeForce initiative targets USDA assistance to persistent poverty areas. The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Reservation is one of the lowest median-household income communities in the United States, with an overall poverty rate of 22.9 percent and 37 percent of children living in poverty.

This collaborative effort between USDA and tribal leaders is the first step to increase locally grown food products and expand access to healthy foods that will provide long-term benefits for local residents. This project seeks to empower tribal partners, and


B&I $81,016,272 44 $1,239,000 2 $50,896,802 9 $133,152,074 55IRP $10,164,000 16 $3,553,141 5 $2,000,000 2 $15,717,141 23Renewable Energy $8,556,397 213 $1,121,346 53 $521,767 26 $10,199,510 292Business Grants $5,253,503 63 $255,995 4 $596,181 6 $6,105,679 73REDLG $9,891,000 26 $2,335,000 7 $1,812,000 5 $14,038,000 38VAPG $1,048,815 8 $303,907 2 $499,958 2 $1,852,680 12SFH Direct $70,273,946 659 $11,132,596 90 $10,943,937 85 $92,350,479 834SFH Guaranteed $954,886,459 7,913 $179,091,825 1,355 $150,939,713 1,119 $1,284,917,997 10,387SFH Repairs $2,027,071 399 $263,137 57 $172,916 36 $2,463,124 492SFH Self-Help Grants $1,791,110 7 $993,317 4 $0 0 $2,784,427 11MFH Direct $6,391,304 18 $489,000 1 $11,725,842 4 $18,606,146 23MFH Guaranteed $1,225,900 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,225,900 1Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $80,205,587 926 $11,236,284 180 $16,899,650 232 $108,341,521 1,338CF Direct $108,347,466 88 $12,543,300 7 $41,145,000 11 $162,035,766 106CF Guaranteed $22,423,000 8 $0 0 $0 0 $22,423,000 8CF Grants $7,644,117 107 $987,400 16 $691,100 13 $9,322,617 136WWD Direct $110,573,000 111 $13,238,000 8 $13,148,000 8 $136,959,000 127WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $102,160,570 89 $9,248,000 10 $6,461,846 12 $117,870,416 111Telecom $133,529,648 25 $1,097,168 4 $17,577,963 5 $152,204,779 34Electric $715,154,000 48 $7,741,000 2 $95,109,000 4 $818,004,000 54All Other Programs $6,853,708 40 $1,130,901 185 $1,677,915 415 $9,662,524 640

SOUTH DAKOTA TOTAL $2,439,416,873 10,809 $258,000,317 1,992 $422,819,590 1,994 $3,120,236,780 14,795

Volunteer Joe Williams helps tend the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate community garden.

South Dakota Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals

other team members at the local, State, and Federal levels, to work collectively toward sustainable local foods systems that will build wealth within tribal communities. The project will also support food sovereignty for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate people, the right to produce healthy, culturally appropriate foods through ecologically sound and sustainable systems as determined by the tribe.

“The concept of food sovereignty has been a part of American Indian way of life for thousands of years,” said Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Chairman Dave Flute. “It is exciting as a modern-day tribe to reestablish ourselves in food production and trade for economic growth.”


TennesseeCommunity Programs

USDA Helps University Stay Competitive in the Higher Education MarketNestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in rural southeast Tennessee lies the small yet charming Tennessee Wesleyan University (TWU), a liberal arts school committed to providing a wide range of studies to help each student achieve their dreams. TWU’s dedicated faculty and administration strive to provide the resources and individualized support to ensure that each student receives a quality education and obtains the proper skills needed to succeed in his or her career and life. To accomplish this, updated campus facilities were both a necessity and priority.

TWU President Harley Knowles went to Director of Facilities Management Mike Ingram and his staff and asked what they would fix if they had the money to make the biggest difference for the most people. School leaders worked with staff at the USDA Rural Development Chattanooga Area Office to explore affordable financing options from USDA. As a result, the university received a $20.6 million Rural Development Community Facilities Loan to construct a 30,000-square-foot student life building, improve other buildings on campus, renovate its parking lot, and refinance a portion of the college’s debt.

Besides essential upgrades and repairs around campus, the USDA Rural Development loan also allows the university to focus

on the future and expand available programs and services for students in the region. “The context of these projects is to prepare the institution for the next level of growth,” Knowles said. “We are working to ensure we stay relevant in a competitive, higher education market, so we can continue to serve a wide range of students from our community and beyond.”

The student life building, the “Colloms Campus Center,” will provide improved activity and event space, student services, and staff offices. Improvements to existing buildings include roof replacement and installation of heating and cooling systems.

TWU is located in McMinn County, one of 53 counties in Tennessee benefiting from USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity Initiative to combat persistent poverty in rural communities.


B&I $244,899,758 69 $27,079,000 6 $20,642,000 6 $292,620,758 81IRP $1,150,000 2 $0 0 $524,207 1 $1,674,207 3Renewable Energy $8,814,116 234 $3,191,668 75 $1,186,891 53 $13,192,676 362Business Grants $6,835,626 247 $733,000 26 $1,284,000 36 $8,852,626 309REDLG $27,796,752 40 $4,483,334 4 $3,640,000 4 $35,920,086 48VAPG $1,066,863 9 $49,500 1 $356,654 4 $1,473,017 14SFH Direct $197,446,494 1,871 $20,515,368 186 $21,934,512 191 $239,896,374 2,248SFH Guaranteed $3,744,177,758 31,625 $931,690,869 7,256 $812,037,497 6,211 $5,487,906,124 45,092SFH Repairs $11,031,343 2,296 $1,656,601 325 $1,999,365 378 $14,687,309 2,999SFH Self-Help Grants $1,006,400 2 $0 0 $832,578 3 $1,838,978 5MFH Direct $10,345,853 14 $17,751,555 18 $0 0 $28,097,408 32MFH Guaranteed $29,263,802 18 $20,351,345 21 $400,000 1 $50,015,147 40Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $136,394,100 1,321 $26,230,512 256 $34,843,806 302 $197,468,418 1,879CF Direct $252,299,758 154 $88,235,400 21 $71,195,900 23 $411,731,058 198CF Guaranteed $1,450,000 2 $0 0 $14,875,239 1 $16,325,239 3CF Grants $8,742,018 257 $654,700 23 $1,139,730 36 $10,536,448 316WWD Direct $198,792,400 167 $22,413,500 18 $26,772,000 20 $247,977,900 205WWD Guaranteed $2,488,840 1 $0 0 $0 0 $2,488,840 1WWD Grants $81,417,366 175 $12,315,500 21 $9,888,785 24 $103,621,651 220Telecom $235,957,236 38 $627,523 2 $3,489,432 8 $240,074,191 48Electric $231,724,000 14 $30,000,000 1 $17,000,000 1 $278,724,000 16All Other Programs $19,424,820 74 $1,771,917 57 $431,882 90 $21,628,620 221

TENNESSEE TOTAL $5,452,525,303 38,630 $1,209,751,293 8,317 $1,044,474,479 7,393 $7,706,751,074 54,340

The future home of Colloms Campus Center, a new student life building for TWU students. USDA Rural Development financing is helping the university build the new center and make other critical improvements to its facilities.

Tennessee Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


TexasWater and Environmental Programs

Building Infrastructure and Opportunity in Rural South TexasLa Villa is a very small, rural community in south Texas with a population of only about 1,950 people. La Villa’s wastewater system was failing, but city leaders had limited resources for infrastructure development. Almost half of residents live below the poverty line.

USDA Rural Development provided La Villa, TX, with $4 million in affordable loan and grant assistance through the Water and Waste Disposal Program to replace its aging aerated wastewater system with a new mechanical wastewater treatment plant. The sewer system improvements and expansion will help the city comply with Federal and State environmental quality requirements.

USDA Rural Development Texas State Director Paco Valentin, city, State, and Federal officials, local schoolchildren, and residents celebrated the funding from USDA for Earth Day 2016.

La Villa is in Hidalgo County, one of the counties where USDA Rural Development is focusing additional assistance as part of the USDA

StrikeForce initiative to combat rural poverty. Besides safeguarding residents’ health and protecting the environment, the wastewater treatment plant expansion will also be a vehicle for economic growth and job creation. For instance, additional construction jobs will bring work crews from outside the area, resulting in increased business at local restaurants and hotels. Most importantly, however, the project will improve the quality of life for the families and children that live in La Villa.


B&I $365,297,578 84 $35,000,000 2 $48,355,550 9 $448,653,128 95IRP $4,655,000 9 $1,000,000 1 $500,000 1 $6,155,000 11Renewable Energy $38,724,766 278 $2,764,521 56 $15,576,947 47 $57,066,234 381Business Grants $8,733,310 60 $871,000 5 $931,870 6 $10,536,180 71REDLG $1,040,000 2 $2,000,000 1 $1,000,000 1 $4,040,000 4VAPG $1,947,123 14 $1,149,061 11 $241,189 5 $3,337,373 30SFH Direct $319,553,743 3,208 $29,399,725 277 $36,318,473 322 $385,271,941 3,807SFH Guaranteed $5,485,171,915 41,702 $764,207,813 5,153 $616,189,125 3,979 $6,865,568,853 50,834SFH Repairs $17,954,446 2,835 $2,800,964 428 $3,538,288 642 $24,293,698 3,905SFH Self-Help Grants $2,642,040 10 $60,795 2 $281,500 1 $2,984,335 13MFH Direct $1,973,573 7 $3,012,774 2 $0 0 $4,986,347 9MFH Guaranteed $45,924,312 24 $14,619,868 9 $32,171,822 11 $92,716,002 44Farm Labor Housing $19,911,905 11 $0 0 $2,400,000 1 $22,311,905 12Rental Assistance $252,884,340 2,800 $47,881,964 526 $60,002,523 628 $360,768,827 3,954CF Direct $174,142,978 114 $45,055,500 13 $71,836,900 19 $291,035,378 146CF Guaranteed $36,183,426 9 $3,000,000 1 $0 0 $39,183,426 10CF Grants $14,910,601 162 $534,000 16 $1,179,600 31 $16,624,201 209WWD Direct $270,693,930 143 $132,825,068 41 $67,092,300 31 $470,611,298 215WWD Guaranteed $2,910,784 3 $0 0 $800,000 1 $3,710,784 4WWD Grants $150,541,858 185 $29,637,040 67 $29,154,855 85 $209,333,753 337Telecom $326,475,220 61 $13,450,000 1 $14,691,780 2 $354,617,000 64Electric $2,033,431,000 47 $0 0 $158,660,000 2 $2,192,091,000 49All Other Programs $5,598,131 36 $1,206,557 174 $1,437,252 231 $8,241,940 441

TEXAS TOTAL $9,581,301,979 51,804 $1,130,476,649 6,786 $1,162,359,974 6,055 $11,874,138,602 64,645

USDA Rural Development Texas State Director Paco Valentin; city, State, and Federal officials; elected officials; and La Villa community members celebrate the USDA funding that will finance critically needed improvements to the municipal sewer system.

Texas Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


UtahCommunity Programs

Center for Adults With Disabilities Stays Rural To Improve LivesLiving in a rural area with fresh air and wide open spaces may seem ideal, but for an adult with developmental or physical disabilities, rural areas pose many challenges. In rural places, access to specialized care is limited and that’s where TURN Community Services, a nonprofit agency, plays an important role for the people of Richfield, UT.

TURN has locations throughout the State where their staff offer residential and employment services, day programs, and art centers for adults with disabilities. The organization opened a day center on Richfield’s main street in an old building that didn’t quite fit their needs. After discovering a few physical problems with the building, including difficult handicap-accessibility, administrators began looking to move. TURN administrators wanted to own their own building to better establish security and control over the building’s future, and be able to meet the individual needs of the people they serve.

USDA Rural Development provided a $494,000 Community Facilities loan and grant to construct a new center, which provides space for art classes, vocational training, outdoor experiences, and

administrative activities. This center is also equipped to participate in distance learning, which connects center locations around the State to one another and allows clients even more chances to engage in the world around them.

“This is a social program,” says Jan Parke, Director of Housing and Development, “This is a place to help them experience things that they’re not going to if they’re sitting in a little country home somewhere.” Parke says it is important for TURN to have rural locations, such as the one in Richfield, so clients can maintain their same social networks and sense of community but also get the assistance they need.

“You keep them where they already feel accepted. You just help them move on with their life,” she says.


B&I $82,652,881 44 $22,638,930 7 $23,741,000 8 $129,032,811 59IRP $356,000 2 $0 0 $0 0 $356,000 2Renewable Energy $2,966,088 50 $921,021 10 $529,704 15 $4,416,813 75Business Grants $2,253,727 39 $134,000 4 $306,286 5 $2,694,013 48REDLG $3,942,000 5 $0 0 $0 0 $3,942,000 5VAPG $1,755,799 11 $250,000 1 $262,500 2 $2,268,299 14SFH Direct $274,793,184 1,688 $25,560,807 148 $37,342,224 201 $337,696,215 2,037SFH Guaranteed $2,206,154,838 13,137 $422,648,031 2,240 $335,660,943 1,702 $2,964,463,812 17,079SFH Repairs $1,836,071 316 $159,919 28 $234,734 34 $2,230,724 378SFH Self-Help Grants $15,009,409 24 $3,465,890 8 $4,033,024 5 $22,508,323 37MFH Direct $2,665,446 7 $0 0 $0 0 $2,665,446 7MFH Guaranteed $750,000 1 $940,000 1 $0 0 $1,690,000 2Farm Labor Housing $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $1,000,000 1Rental Assistance $42,402,480 335 $8,127,360 59 $9,137,509 74 $59,667,349 468CF Direct $82,650,500 28 $7,242,100 3 $42,306,980 9 $132,199,580 40CF Guaranteed $73,929,202 16 $0 0 $10,925,000 2 $84,854,202 18CF Grants $2,559,871 42 $83,900 2 $225,400 7 $2,869,171 51WWD Direct $36,549,800 27 $4,672,000 1 $4,809,000 1 $46,030,800 29WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $34,518,153 31 $4,663,000 6 $7,864,212 7 $47,045,365 44Telecom $22,173,915 15 $339,480 2 $304,132 1 $22,817,527 18Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $350,000 7 $55,016 3 $148,186 15 $553,202 25

UTAH TOTAL $2,891,269,364 15,826 $501,901,454 2,523 $477,830,834 2,088 $3,871,001,652 20,437

A group of clients gather to sing during a music class offered at the TURN Community Services City Center for the Arts.

Utah Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


VermontHousing Programs

New USDA Rural Development Program Promises Better Rural HousingA new USDA Rural Development program helped Dennis Miller of Putney, VT, make his dream of homeownership a reality. He took advantage of a strong working relationship between USDA and local and State housing organizations to become the first USDA borrower to purchase an energy-efficient manufactured home for placement in a park.

New technologies make it possible to manufacture high-quality, highly energy-efficient homes at affordable prices—offering huge potential benefits in Vermont, with its cold winters and aging housing. However, conventional lenders are reluctant to provide traditional mortgages for this improved manufactured housing. In response to this need, USDA Rural Development launched the Energy Efficient Manufactured Home Pilot Program, which gives current and future residents of manufactured home parks the opportunity to finance a modular home with a USDA single-family housing loan.

USDA cooperated with the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, the State of Vermont, the Vermont Housing and Conservation

Board, and Champlain Housing Trust to enable Miller to take out an affordable USDA home loan to buy an energy-efficient modular home, incorporating solar panels, to locate in the Locust Hill Mobile Home Park.

The partnership that made the purchase possible promises new housing opportunities to Vermonters, 7 percent of whom live in manufactured homes, and points the way to better affordable housing options across rural America.


B&I $33,556,880 13 $0 0 $12,000,000 1 $45,556,880 14IRP $8,368,000 12 $2,000,000 2 $1,250,000 2 $11,618,000 16Renewable Energy $10,441,438 253 $1,558,924 46 $3,023,926 44 $15,024,288 343Business Grants $8,398,087 110 $1,392,717 19 $1,294,414 21 $11,085,218 150REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $1,458,212 15 $969,909 9 $1,153,703 8 $3,581,824 32SFH Direct $66,751,404 473 $9,685,263 64 $8,968,462 61 $85,405,129 598SFH Guaranteed $497,784,054 3,073 $80,614,463 510 $68,441,109 414 $646,839,626 3,997SFH Repairs $2,569,754 487 $300,429 48 $510,131 86 $3,380,314 621SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $17,036,281 23 $2,786,707 3 $8,577,436 10 $28,400,424 36MFH Guaranteed $300,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $300,000 1Farm Labor Housing $464,035 5 $0 0 $0 0 $464,035 5Rental Assistance $44,291,947 330 $7,338,552 55 $11,429,642 80 $63,060,141 465CF Direct $18,346,350 45 $3,897,700 12 $9,214,400 8 $31,458,450 65CF Guaranteed $8,502,826 8 $65,000 1 $2,800,000 1 $11,367,826 10CF Grants $3,147,619 117 $501,400 23 $928,900 22 $4,577,919 162WWD Direct $46,658,200 39 $9,309,000 8 $11,331,000 15 $67,298,200 62WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $47,742,629 53 $6,443,830 17 $7,475,892 18 $61,662,351 88Telecom $124,794,862 13 $0 0 $0 0 $124,794,862 13Electric $15,300,000 2 $53,141,000 2 $0 0 $68,441,000 4All Other Programs $2,661,146 26 $400,000 5 $1,367,042 9 $4,428,188 40

VERMONT TOTAL $958,573,724 5,098 $180,404,894 824 $149,766,057 800 $1,288,744,675 6,722

Dennis Miller on the front steps of his new energy-efficient USDA Rural Development-financed modular home.

Vermont Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


VirginiaHousing Programs

Rockingham Family Achieves the American DreamUSDA Rural Development celebrated National Homeownership Month in June 2016 with a young family, Alias and Ansam Khader and their three children, whose dreams recently came true when they were able to purchase their first home. USDA Rural Development provided the Khaders with an affordable, low-interest $210,000 home loan for the purchase.

The Khader family immigrated to the United States from Iraq. They left their home country in 2008 seeking safety and better opportunities for their household, eventually settling in Rockingham, VA.

USDA Rural Development’s Single-Family Housing Direct Loan Program helps lower income rural families and individuals get homes of their own. Payment assistance is provided to reduce the mortgage payments for a short time.

Homeownership through this program helps rural families but also lays the groundwork for entire communities to move toward growth and development. It helps residents build household wealth, fund

education through home equity, and otherwise climb ladders of economic opportunity. Additionally, it creates jobs for local builders, realtors, appraisers, and durable goods manufacturers.

Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez; former Rural Development Virginia State Director Basil Gooden; Virginia Rural Development employees; and local officials joined the Khader family on the front porch of their newly constructed home for the June 2016 celebration and key presentation.

“We are very happy,” Khader said at the event. “Big dreams come true.”


B&I $145,768,489 56 $16,801,707 7 $46,492,035 9 $209,062,231 72IRP $1,207,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,207,000 3Renewable Energy $6,976,466 175 $2,212,222 40 $841,190 35 $10,029,878 250Business Grants $4,669,167 58 $607,000 10 $596,000 7 $5,872,167 75REDLG $1,905,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,905,000 4VAPG $6,069,374 38 $3,969,140 30 $3,914,202 20 $13,952,716 88SFH Direct $137,652,144 994 $13,792,327 109 $18,939,661 131 $170,384,132 1,234SFH Guaranteed $3,106,892,937 20,335 $626,215,261 3,858 $575,275,424 3,533 $4,308,383,622 27,726SFH Repairs $6,890,658 1,136 $1,115,908 169 $1,529,146 258 $9,535,712 1,563SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $10,253,296 17 $941,238 1 $0 0 $11,194,534 18MFH Guaranteed $4,748,864 2 $0 0 $500,000 1 $5,248,864 3Farm Labor Housing $2,000,000 2 $4,250,000 3 $0 0 $6,250,000 5Rental Assistance $138,062,520 1,145 $29,084,460 211 $34,886,986 245 $202,033,966 1,601CF Direct $213,312,234 155 $10,560,900 16 $72,642,600 36 $296,515,734 207CF Guaranteed $326,000 1 $0 0 $9,400,000 3 $9,726,000 4CF Grants $14,916,781 414 $774,500 21 $1,477,600 43 $17,168,881 478WWD Direct $266,105,280 108 $24,034,000 12 $40,955,000 13 $331,094,280 133WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $100,097,538 99 $11,482,700 20 $10,336,000 25 $121,916,238 144Telecom $103,852,950 28 $3,373,158 2 $2,412,290 3 $109,638,398 33Electric $3,241,176,000 28 $254,238,000 2 $445,462,000 5 $3,940,876,000 35All Other Programs $7,638,653 37 $603,850 23 $557,631 25 $8,800,135 85

VIRGINIA TOTAL $7,520,521,351 24,835 $1,004,056,372 4,534 $1,266,217,765 4,392 $9,790,795,487 33,761

Virginia Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals

Former Rural Development Virginia State Director Basil Gooden (left) and Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez (right) present the Khaders with a ceremonial key to their new home.


WashingtonHousing Programs

Protecting Heritage Affordable Housing in Growing Washington MarketsLower income rural and urban residents alike often struggle due to limited availability of affordable housing, but the low population base and rising property values in many rural communities can compound the problem for rural families.

In the Washington State communities of Ellensburg, Cashmere, Selah, and Leavenworth, market forces were encouraging the removal of older multi-family properties in favor of development of higher-end single-family homes. Preserving affordable housing is critical to maintaining the overall health of a rural community. Every housing unit counts because the demand in these Washington communities—like that in many other places across the country—exceeds the supply.

To help preserve affordable rural rental housing for low- to moderate-income residents in the area, USDA Rural Development provided a guarantee on a $4.63 million loan, from lender Churchill Stateside Group, to rehabilitate and remodel six aging USDA-financed rural rental housing complexes. The project, managed by HopeSource II Rural Preservation Associates, included renovating 146 apartment units at the various properties. Besides partners

USDA Rural Development and Churchill Stateside Group, the project was also supported through the Washington State Housing Trust Fund and Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

Many of the residents in these multi-family properties are elderly, disabled, on a fixed income, or a combination of all three. Historically, these properties have had very low vacancy rates and long waiting lists. Losing such affordable housing, for example, Berg Rose in Leavenworth, WA, would be tragic. The loss would be almost impossible to replace as vacation rentals and second homes in this popular destination are driving both land and housing to expensive extremes that hinder development of new affordable housing.

Remodeling and rehabilitating these properties—originally built in the 1980s—will preserve the availability of affordable housing in these four rural communities for the next 30 years or more.


B&I $145,909,471 58 $20,534,550 6 $20,179,959 5 $186,623,980 69IRP $5,494,000 9 $0 0 $0 0 $5,494,000 9Renewable Energy $14,359,348 248 $1,664,984 97 $1,408,352 80 $17,432,683 425Business Grants $4,424,255 67 $431,853 8 $500,000 10 $5,356,108 85REDLG $1,330,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,330,000 4VAPG $4,519,868 30 $1,460,240 17 $2,327,704 18 $8,307,812 65SFH Direct $280,314,916 1,589 $27,854,196 164 $35,765,503 184 $343,934,615 1,937SFH Guaranteed $3,510,305,094 18,579 $537,446,456 2,729 $413,457,933 1,986 $4,461,209,483 23,294SFH Repairs $3,494,158 502 $302,317 45 $476,627 74 $4,273,102 621SFH Self-Help Grants $19,846,852 22 $2,583,426 8 $3,495,087 4 $25,925,365 34MFH Direct $7,991,435 14 $2,513,070 3 $974,980 1 $11,479,485 18MFH Guaranteed $12,361,428 8 $7,557,939 7 $0 0 $19,919,367 15Farm Labor Housing $24,010,310 19 $322,750 1 $4,888,566 2 $29,221,626 22Rental Assistance $139,755,701 1,219 $28,216,318 253 $35,745,137 280 $203,717,156 1,752CF Direct $110,184,200 65 $3,795,100 10 $34,907,300 8 $148,886,600 83CF Guaranteed $25,535,100 9 $0 0 $2,748,771 2 $28,283,871 11CF Grants $4,513,313 100 $446,500 10 $1,040,931 13 $6,000,744 123WWD Direct $211,301,564 90 $16,174,000 15 $9,674,400 12 $237,149,964 117WWD Guaranteed $19,400,000 6 $0 0 $0 0 $19,400,000 6WWD Grants $48,589,085 45 $5,773,700 8 $5,908,200 12 $60,270,985 65Telecom $149,385,208 32 $377,258 1 $457,028 1 $150,219,494 34Electric $203,660,000 9 $23,616,000 2 $30,782,000 1 $258,058,000 12All Other Programs $7,369,783 36 $1,612,516 196 $1,948,528 346 $10,930,827 578

WASHINGTON TOTAL $4,954,055,089 22,760 $682,683,173 3,580 $606,687,005 3,039 $6,243,425,267 29,379

Berg Rose Apartments, in Leavenworth, is one of six central Washington apartment complexes slated for rehabilitation.

Washington Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


West VirginiaHousing Programs

New Partnership Will Help More West Virginians Become HomeownersIn June 2016, USDA Rural Development in West Virginia announced a new initiative to help low-income rural West Virginians turn their dreams of homeownership into a reality. USDA, the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises (FAHE)—an Appalachian Kentucky-based nonprofit—and the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (known as “the Fund”), signed an agreement making the Fund the country’s only State housing finance agency to offer USDA home loans.

USDA Rural Development direct home loans help low- and very-low-income applicants buy, build, or own safe and affordable homes located in rural areas. The loans include payment assistance, a type of subsidy, to reduce the mortgage payments for a short time.

“For so many in our State, homeownership is out of reach,” Erica Boggess, the Fund’s Acting Executive Director, said. “USDA’s direct home loan program opens up new opportunities and gives them a real, lasting shot at a crucial part of the American dream. This is a great initiative, and we are proud to partner with USDA and FAHE.”

“Housing is a key issue for rural residents,” Jim King, FAHE’s CEO and President, remarked. “This partnership will empower them to make a better life for themselves and their families. We’ve been working with the Fund and USDA for years, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished and enthusiastic about where we go from here.”

Allowing West Virginia individuals and families to contact the State housing finance agency to apply for USDA home loans will help more rural residents access and use the program. “Partners like the West Virginia Housing Development Fund and FAHE have made this achievement possible, and we are very excited to create even more opportunities for rural America in the future,” USDA Rural Housing Service Administrator Tony Hernandez added. “We are building communities together in West Virginia and beyond.”


B&I $128,535,015 41 $12,051,000 2 $6,340,365 2 $146,926,380 45IRP $2,031,000 4 $0 0 $750,000 1 $2,781,000 5Renewable Energy $2,425,636 60 $854,476 24 $780,507 26 $4,060,619 110Business Grants $3,495,630 40 $356,000 9 $380,000 9 $4,231,630 58REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $94,000 2 $49,993 1 $121,558 3 $265,551 6SFH Direct $90,548,225 896 $7,274,953 69 $4,003,271 41 $101,826,449 1,006SFH Guaranteed $1,294,264,683 10,233 $231,305,343 1,734 $226,895,712 1,670 $1,752,465,739 13,637SFH Repairs $6,205,590 1,272 $549,967 107 $529,930 107 $7,285,487 1,486SFH Self-Help Grants $107,568 1 $300,000 1 $0 0 $407,568 2MFH Direct $7,865,958 1 $0 0 $0 0 $7,865,958 1MFH Guaranteed $8,393,500 9 $1,610,000 2 $500,000 1 $10,503,500 12Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $67,650,660 928 $16,103,880 183 $16,840,276 190 $100,594,816 1,301CF Direct $174,884,700 76 $11,507,570 11 $24,604,633 5 $210,996,903 92CF Guaranteed $14,175,000 4 $0 0 $0 0 $14,175,000 4CF Grants $4,308,101 146 $484,262 18 $1,220,750 26 $6,013,113 190WWD Direct $209,584,600 105 $48,470,000 16 $24,184,000 13 $282,238,600 134WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $113,784,866 120 $11,435,600 15 $6,596,000 12 $131,816,466 147Telecom $48,301,847 19 $0 0 $1,188,108 3 $49,489,955 22Electric $3,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $3,000,000 1All Other Programs $12,315,820 31 $3,037,806 38 $2,126,654 40 $17,480,279 109

WEST VIRGINIA TOTAL $2,191,972,399 13,989 $345,390,850 2,230 $317,061,764 2,149 $2,854,425,012 18,368

RHS Administrator Tony Hernandez discusses the new agreement about how the West Virginia Housing Development Fund will deliver USDA direct home loans with stakeholders.

West Virginia Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


WisconsinCommunity Programs

USDA Partnership Increases Access to Dental Care in Rural WisconsinMany rural Wisconsinites were not receiving quality dental care because of the distances they had to travel for treatment and the expense involved. Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc., recognized this concern, and made it their mission to provide greater access to affordable, quality oral healthcare in Wisconsin rural communities.

Since 2008, USDA Rural Development has partnered with Family Health Center to help this healthcare provider carry out its goal. Six new dental clinics are now open for business across northern Wisconsin, and this year there was a ground-breaking for a seventh facility.

USDA Rural Development helped finance the dental care centers—in Marshfield, Medford, Menomonie, Neillsville, Park Falls, Rhinelander, and Rice Lake—through the Community Facilities Program. USDA Rural Development provided more than $10.8 million in loans and grants through its regular funding channels, and another $5 million through the Recovery Act.

The Family Health Center’s network of dental clinics treats tens of thousands of patients each year. Last year alone, nearly 32,000

patients were served. The annual value of services totals nearly $30 million.

The benefits of these clinics extend beyond better dental care for patients. The clinics have also provided 215 new jobs in rural Wisconsin and contributed to economic growth in the communities they serve.

“USDA Rural Development has been a critical capital partner in Family Health Center’s efforts to meet the oral health needs of patients who would otherwise go without care,” Greg Nycz, Family Health Center Executive Director, said. “Together, we are making a big dent in the access problem in northern Wisconsin and helping to ensure continued economic development in many of our rural communities.”


B&I $413,231,872 105 $34,533,500 8 $16,941,750 6 $464,707,122 119IRP $1,842,296 4 $0 0 $0 0 $1,842,296 4Renewable Energy $11,879,248 624 $2,045,829 134 $6,798,054 98 $20,723,131 856Business Grants $6,750,500 78 $575,000 10 $474,000 7 $7,799,500 95REDLG $5,720,000 13 $300,000 1 $390,000 1 $6,410,000 15VAPG $10,471,345 49 $3,548,913 23 $3,702,436 23 $17,722,694 95SFH Direct $126,030,106 1,116 $13,617,245 128 $14,743,245 123 $154,390,596 1,367SFH Guaranteed $2,519,102,250 20,557 $372,483,079 2,906 $317,590,315 2,403 $3,209,175,643 25,866SFH Repairs $6,779,204 1,269 $928,486 157 $593,744 110 $8,301,434 1,536SFH Self-Help Grants $920,551 3 $608,449 2 $0 0 $1,529,000 5MFH Direct $16,186,882 34 $446,631 6 $3,144,689 2 $19,778,202 42MFH Guaranteed $832,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $832,000 1Farm Labor Housing $1,135,820 6 $0 0 $0 0 $1,135,820 6Rental Assistance $92,186,856 1,702 $18,584,566 303 $17,855,165 297 $128,626,587 2,302CF Direct $156,665,175 53 $42,631,900 7 $17,719,500 6 $217,016,575 66CF Guaranteed $22,545,900 10 $2,600,000 1 $0 0 $25,145,900 11CF Grants $7,697,459 127 $734,700 13 $694,840 19 $9,126,999 159WWD Direct $168,347,480 91 $25,435,000 18 $46,900,000 24 $240,682,480 133WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $74,711,798 112 $15,672,500 27 $10,418,095 21 $100,802,393 160Telecom $336,922,682 72 $9,332,686 7 $1,070,443 4 $347,325,811 83Electric $490,012,000 16 $31,500,000 3 $94,000,000 2 $615,512,000 21All Other Programs $10,058,149 51 $1,883,400 355 $3,230,398 686 $15,171,947 1,092

WISCONSIN TOTAL $4,480,029,572 26,093 $577,461,882 4,109 $556,266,674 3,832 $5,613,758,128 34,034

The Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc., dental clinic in Rice Lake, WI.

Wisconsin Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


WyomingWater and Environmental Programs

USDA Makes Clean Water Possible for Residents of a Growing CommunityA USDA Rural Development combination loan and grant totaling more than $640,000 helped make safe, sanitary drinking water available to 74 homes and businesses near the town of Thermopolis, Wyoming.

New growth south of town left a gap in water service growing wider by the year. To close the gap, the South Thermopolis Water and Sewer District needed more storage at a higher elevation, a new booster station, and additional underground distribution lines. In addition, the project had to minimize disturbance of the local critical wildlife habitat. But the town and surrounding communities risked straining their limited resources to meet these goals.

USDA Rural Development stepped into the breach, providing a $407,000 loan and grant of almost $234,000. Along with $3.2 million in funds for other sources, the USDA assistance financed the


B&I $55,576,869 30 $5,745,500 3 $108,500 1 $61,430,869 34IRP $177,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $177,000 1Renewable Energy $449,356 20 $239,183 6 $352,312 9 $1,040,851 35Business Grants $862,869 22 $119,000 4 $105,000 5 $1,086,869 31REDLG $1,000,000 1 $0 0 $1,550,000 2 $2,550,000 3VAPG $52,492 2 $30,000 1 $45,930 2 $128,422 5SFH Direct $38,512,524 279 $7,098,913 43 $12,248,242 67 $57,859,679 389SFH Guaranteed $1,406,999,300 7,916 $235,186,639 1,258 $163,396,193 895 $1,805,582,132 10,069SFH Repairs $540,579 97 $44,400 6 $122,936 17 $707,915 120SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $8,183,257 18 $0 0 $0 0 $8,183,257 18MFH Guaranteed $3,045,597 2 $637,419 1 $0 0 $3,683,016 3Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $26,155,796 232 $4,099,320 37 $6,091,574 50 $36,346,690 319CF Direct $16,711,400 9 $5,200,000 1 $1,644,000 2 $23,555,400 12CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0CF Grants $683,506 18 $74,700 3 $176,400 8 $934,606 29WWD Direct $4,673,500 10 $93,000 1 $3,849,000 5 $8,615,500 16WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $9,990,958 14 $819,000 6 $3,821,000 6 $14,630,958 26Telecom $54,066,957 10 $0 0 $0 0 $54,066,957 10Electric $253,650,000 13 $0 0 $0 0 $253,650,000 13All Other Programs $885,328 11 $130,388 14 $126,409 13 $1,142,125 38

WYOMING TOTAL $1,882,217,288 8,705 $259,517,462 1,384 $193,637,496 1,082 $2,335,372,246 11,171

installation of 7.5 miles of drinking water pipeline, a water storage tank and meters, and connections for customers to the new service.

The Thermopolis area now has room to grow for many years to come.

Three 30,000-gallon water storage tanks, at an upper elevation of the $4 million water project, deliver water to the community below. The project was completed in June 2016.

Wyoming Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals


Virgin Islands Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals2009 - 2014 2015 2016 TOTAL

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARDB&I $34,950,000 7 $1,300,000 1 $10,000,000 2 $46,250,000 10IRP $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Renewable Energy $432,310 17 $55,102 3 $134,904 2 $622,316 22Business Grants $50,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $50,000 1REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $0 0 $0 0 $25,510 1 $25,510 1SFH Direct $10,286,875 85 $2,444,860 20 $3,067,165 22 $15,798,900 127SFH Guaranteed $4,617,328 36 $1,585,602 9 $1,050,739 7 $7,253,669 52SFH Repairs $304,368 45 $63,485 10 $52,500 7 $420,353 62SFH Self-Help Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $30,069,276 99 $4,480,560 15 $7,675,276 23 $42,225,112 137CF Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0CF Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0CF Grants $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $272,100 2 $251,000 2 $130,900 1 $654,000 5Telecom $750,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $750,000 1Electric $13,000,000 1 $0 0 $0 0 $13,000,000 1All Other Programs $0 0 $128,796 6 $77,796 5 $206,592 11

VIRGIN ISLANDS TOTAL $94,732,257 294 $10,309,405 66 $22,214,790 70 $127,256,452 430

Western Pacific Rural Development FY 2009-FY 2016 Yearly Totals2009 - 2014 2015 2016 TOTAL

AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARD AMOUNT AWARDB&I $27,872,500 9 $2,700,000 1 $5,000,000 1 $35,572,500 11IRP $1,150,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $1,150,000 3Renewable Energy $762,344 12 $338,317 4 $188,290 3 $1,288,951 19Business Grants $785,272 16 $64,000 1 $64,000 1 $913,272 18REDLG $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0VAPG $309,340 2 $3,200 1 $0 0 $312,540 3SFH Direct $37,242,832 244 $8,746,290 48 $7,742,153 45 $53,731,275 337SFH Guaranteed $52,894,387 298 $7,895,974 41 $1,988,739 11 $62,779,100 350SFH Repairs $3,730,719 453 $878,346 118 $1,206,700 150 $5,815,765 721SFH Self-Help Grants $781,870 5 $846,473 3 $0 0 $1,628,343 8MFH Direct $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0MFH Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Farm Labor Housing $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0Rental Assistance $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0CF Direct $57,930,000 11 $0 0 $12,005,036 3 $69,935,036 14CF Guaranteed $37,900,000 3 $0 0 $0 0 $37,900,000 3CF Grants $1,563,151 29 $93,900 5 $258,274 11 $1,915,325 45WWD Direct $88,536,000 12 $0 0 $0 0 $88,536,000 12WWD Guaranteed $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0WWD Grants $15,019,300 2 $25,000 1 $30,000 1 $15,074,300 4Telecom $122,832,667 7 $493,240 1 $0 0 $123,325,907 8Electric $0 0 $0 0 $0 0 $0 0All Other Programs $8,598,699 6 $1,189,200 2 $1,741,489 2 $11,529,388 10

WESTERN PACIFIC TOTAL $457,909,081 1,112 $23,273,939 226 $30,224,681 228 $511,407,701 1,566


Objective Applicant Uses Population Loan/Grant Terms/Conditions

Single-Family Housing Direct Loans (including Self-Help Loans)

Safe, well-built, affordable homes for very-low- and low-income rural Americans.

Families and individuals.

Buy, build, improve, repair or rehabilitate a rural home as the applicant’s permanent residence.

Rural areas with populations of up to 35,000.

Direct loan. Up to 100% of market value or cost. Loan term of 33/38 years. Applicant may be eligible for payment assistance (subsidy) on the loan.

Single-Family Housing Loan Guarantees

To assist low- to moderate-income applicants/households in buying their homes by guaranteeing loans made by private lenders.

Families and individuals.

Purchase new or existing homes and refinance existing Rural Development guaranteed or direct loans.


Loan guarantee. 30-year, fixed. The interest rate is negotiated between lender and borrower. Loans up to 100% of market value plus the amount of the up-front guarantee fee being financed.

Single-Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants

To help very-low-income applicants remove health and safety hazards or repair their homes.

Families and individuals who currently own their home.

Repair/replace roof, winterize, purchase or repair heating system, structural repair, water/sewage connect fees, etc.


Direct loan and grant.

Loans up to $20,000 up to 20 years at 1%. Grants available to very-low-income applicants 62 years or older unable to pay 1% loan.

Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants

Assist lower income families in building their own homes.

Nonprofits and public bodies.

Technical assistance to help small groups of families to build each other’s homes.


Grant. Grant agreement.

Rural Rental Housing Direct Loans

Safe, well-built, affordable rental housing for very-low-income individuals and families.

Individuals, trusts, associations, limited partnerships, for-profit and nonprofit entities, tribes, public bodies.

New construction or substantial rehabilitation of rental housing.


Direct loan. Up to 100% of total development cost (nonprofits); 97% (for-profits); 95% (for-profits with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits). 30-year term with up to 50-year amortization.

Rural Rental Housing Loan Guarantees

Provides guarantees on loans to build or preserve affordable housing for very-low- to moderate-income tenants.

For profit and nonprofit lenders.

Build or rehabilitate affordable rental housing.


Loan guarantee. At least 25-year term with fixed interest rate. Loan guarantees up to 90% of the principal.

Housing Preservation Grants

Repair and rehabilitate housing owned or occupied by very-low- and low-income rural families.

Public bodies and nonprofit organizations.

To operate a program that finances repair and rehabilitation activities for single-family and small rental properties.


Grant. Grant agreement.

Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants

Safe, well-built affordable rental housing for farmworkers.

Individuals, public and private nonprofit organizations.

New construction or substantial rehabilitation of rental housing.

Not applicable. Direct loan and grant.

Up to 102% of total development cost. Up to 33 years to repay at 1% interest.

Community Facilities Loans and Grants

Improve, develop, or finance essential community facilities for rural communities.

Public bodies, nonprofits, and Federally recognized tribes.

Construct, enlarge, or otherwise improve essential community facilities, such as public safety, fire and rescue, telecommunications, schools, libraries, hospitals, other healthcare facilities, etc.

City, town, or unincorporated area of not more than 20,000 in population. Facilities must primarily serve rural residents.

Direct loan, loan guarantee, or grant.

Up to 100% of market value. Term is for useful life of the facility or equipment, the State statute, or 40 years. Maximum grant 75% of project cost. Grant eligibility based on income, population, and need.

Rural Community Development Initiative

To facilitate housing, community facility, and community and economic development projects.

Private nonprofit or public organizations, philanthropic foundations, low-income communities.

Technical assistance grants of $50,000 to $300,000 to develop the capacity and ability of awardees to carry out needed projects.

City, town, or unincorporated area of not more than 50,000 in population.

Grant. Matching funds required for grant.

For direct loans and grants, apply to Rural Development. For loan guarantees, apply to participating intermediaries such as approved banks, mortgage companies, etc.

Summary of USDA Rural Development Major Programs

Rural Housing Service


Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Business and Industry Loan Guarantees

Create jobs/stimulate rural economies by providing financial backing for rural businesses.

Lenders/Businesses. Real estate, buildings, equipment, supplies, working capital, and some debt refinancing.

All areas except cities over 50,000 and their contiguous urbanized areas.

Loan guarantee. Lender and borrower negotiate terms. Up to 30 years for real estate, 15 years for machinery and equipment, and 7 years for working capital.

Rural Business Development Grants

Help startup or expand small and emerging private businesses and/or nonprofits in rural communities. Note: This program, created through the 2014 Farm Bill, combines the former Rural Business Enterprise Grant and Rural Business Opportunity Grant programs.

Public bodies, government entities, nonprofit entities, and Federally recognized tribes.

Acquire or develop land, buildings, plants and equipment; build or improve access roads, parking areas, utility extensions, and water and waste disposal facilities; provide technical assistance; establish revolving loan funds; and support rural distance learning programs that provide educational or job training.

All areas rural in character except cities over 50,000 and their contiguous urbanized areas.

Grant. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

Intermediary Relending Program Loans

Establish revolving funds for business facilities and community development projects.

Public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Native American tribes, and cooperatives.

Community development projects, establish or expand businesses, create or save rural jobs.

Rural areas and incorporated places with populations of less than 50,000.

Direct loan. The intermediary makes loans to businesses from its revolving loan fund on terms consistent with security offered. Intermediary pays 1% for 30 years.

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program

Establish revolving funds to target assistance to small rural enterprises.

Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs).

Loans, technical and capacity-building assistance to businesses with 10 or fewer employees and sole proprietorships.


Loans, grants. Rural microenterprises apply directly to the intermediary.

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants

Finance economic development and job creation in rural areas.

Rural Utilities Service-financed electric and telephone utilities.

Business startups or expansion projects that create rural jobs.

Rural areas with priority for places with populations of 2,500 or less.

Direct loan or grant to establish revolving loan fund.

Intermediary makes loans to for-profit or nonprofit businesses and public bodies. Loans are 0% for 10 years.

Rural Cooperative Development Grants

Establish/operate centers for cooperative development.

Nonprofits and institutions of higher education.

Establish centers to provide technical assistance, training, applied research, and collection and interpretation of data, for the purpose of cooperative development.


Grant. Minimum 25% fund match (5% for 1994 Institutions). Grants awarded competitively.

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants

Provides funds to eligible co-ops or co-op associations, or co-op development centers to provide technical assistance to small, socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Note: formerly known as the Small, Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant Program.

Cooperatives and co-op development centers that serve socially disadvantaged groups where a majority of the board of directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged groups.

Technical assistance. All areas, except cities over 50,000 and their contiguous urbanized areas.

Grant. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. There is no matching requirement.



Value-Added Producer Grants

Help independent agricultural producers enter into activities that add value to their crops.

Independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, producer groups, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures.

Feasibility studies, business plans; working capital.

All areas. Grant. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. Funds cannot be used to build facilities or purchase equipment. Funds must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Loan Guarantees and Grants

Provide assistance for energy efficiency improvements or purchase a renewable energy system for operations.

Rural small businesses and agricultural producers.

Energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy systems, land acquisition, and working capital.

Cities, towns, unincorporated areas with populations less than 50,000. Population limits do not apply to agricultural producers.

Loan guarantee and/or grant.

Grants up to 25% of project costs not to exceed $250,000 for energy efficiency projects and $500,000 for renewable energy. Loan guarantees up to 75% of project cost not to exceed $25 million.

REAP Audit/Development Grants

Provide grant to entity to pass through to a small business or agricultural producer for 75% of the cost of an energy audit or renewable energy development assistance.

State, tribal, or local government institutions of higher education; rural electric cooperatives; or public power entities.

$100,000 grant to entities, smaller ones to small business and agricultural producers for 75% of energy audit or renewable energy development assistance.

Cities, towns, unincorporated areas with populations less than 50,000.

Grant. $100,000 to entities and up to 75% of the cost of energy audit for renewable energy development assistance.

Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program Loan Guarantees

Provide loan guarantees to develop and construct commercial-scale biorefineries or retrofit facilities using eligible technology for the development of advanced biofuels. Note: The program was formerly known as the Biorefinery Assistance Program.

Individuals; Indian tribes; State or local governments; corporations; farm cooperatives; associations of agricultural producers; national laboratories; higher learning institutions; rural electric co-ops; public power entities; or consortiums of any of the entities.

Loan guarantees to develop and construct commercial-scale biorefineries or retrofit facilities to use eligible technology for the development of advanced biofuels.

No restrictions. Loan. 90% (maximum) guarantee on loans up to $125 million; 80% (maximum) guarantee on loans less than $150 million; 70% (maximum) guarantee on loans of $150 million but less than $200 million; 60% (maximum) guarantee on loans of $200 million up to $250 million.

Repowering Assistance Program

Provide payments to biorefineries to replace fossil fuels with biomass.

Biorefineries. Grant to biorefineries, including ethanol and biodiesel plants that use electricity generated from natural gas and coal and require this for the fermentation process.

No restrictions. Grant. As funds are available. Complete applications submitted to National Office for review. Grant awards determined by National Office.

Advanced Biofuel Payment Program

Provide payments to producers of advanced biofuels.

Eligible producers of advanced biofuels.

Grant to producers of advanced biofuels (non-cornmercial-based).

No restrictions. Grant. As funds are available. Complete applications submitted to National Office for review. Grant awards determined by National Office.

For direct loans and grants, apply to Rural Development. For loan guarantees, apply to participating intermediaries such as eligible banks, etc. For revolving funds (RMAP, IRP, and REDLG), intermediaries apply to Rural Development, others to the intermediaries.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service(continued)


Rural Utilities Service


Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants

Provide infrastructure for rural areas.

Public entities, Indian tribes and nonprofit corporations.

Build, repair, and improve public water systems and waste collection and treatment systems.

Rural areas and towns with up to 10,000 in population.

Direct loan and grant.

Repayment period is a maximum of 40 years. Grant funds may be available.

Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees

Provide infrastructure for rural areas.

Public entities, Indian tribes and nonprofit corporations.

Construct, repair, and improve water supply and distribution systems and waste collection and treatment systems.


Loan guarantee.

Eligible lenders obtain up to a 90% guarantee on loans they make and service.

Solid Waste Management Grants

Provide technical assistance and/or training to those who operate and maintain active landfills.

Public bodies, private nonprofit organizations, Indian tribes, and academic institutions.

Technical assistance and training to improve landfill conditions and protect against threats to nearby water resources.

Rural areas, and towns with up to 10,000 in population.

Grant. Applications accepted year-round. Complete applications submitted to National Office for review.

Technical Assistance/ Training/Circuit Rider

Provide technical assistance and training.

Public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

Provide technical assistance and training to assist with management of water and waste projects.


Grant. As funds are available. Complete applications submitted to National Office for review.

Rural Broadband Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees

Deployment of broadband service to eligible rural communities. Note: The 2014 Farm Bill revised program provisions. An interim rule was published in FY 2015.

Entities seeking to provide broadband services in rural areas.

Funds to construct, improve, and acquire facilities and equipment to provide broadband service in eligible rural communities.

Rural areas. Refer to the rule for specific definition and population limits.

Minimum and maximum loan amounts published annually in the Federal Register.

Refer to the rule for loan terms and conditions.

Electric and Telecommunications Loans

Help rural communities obtain affordable, high-quality electric and telecommunications services.

Nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies, and other utilities.

Generation, transmission facilities, and distribution of electric power, including alternative, renewable, conservation, and energy efficiency programs. Enhance 911 emergency service, digital switching equipment, and fiber optic cable, along with traditional main system telecommunications service.

Electric: areas served by an existing rural electric borrower, or rural areas other than a city or town of more than 20,000. Telecommunications: areas or cities with populations under 5,000.

Direct loan or loan guarantee.

Interest rates are established in accordance with 7 CFR 1714. Contact RUS at www.rd.usda.gov or 1 (800) 670-6553.

Distance Learning and Telemedicine

Develop and deploy advanced telecommunication services throughout rural America to improve education and healthcare.

Incorporated entities, including municipalities, for-profit, and nonprofit corporations that operate rural schools, libraries, healthcare clinics, and other educational or healthcare facilities.

To provide end-user equipment and programming that delivers distance learning and telemedicine services into eligible areas.

Rural areas outside incorporated or unincorporated cities with populations up to 20,000.

Grant. Awards range from $50,000 to $500,000. A minimum of 15% in matching funds is required.

Community Connect Grants

Provide public access to broadband in otherwise unserved communities.

Public bodies, tribes, cooperatives, nonprofits, limited dividend or mutual associations; corporations, and other legally organized entities.

To build broadband infrastructure and establish a community center that offers free public access to broadband for two years.

A single community, outside incorporated or unincorporated cities, with a population over 20,000 and that does not have broadband.

Grant. Minimum: $50,000; Maximum: $1 million. Amounts are published in Notices of Funding Availability and may vary.

Electric and Telecom Programs: Contact the Rural Utilities Service Administrator; Water Programs: Contact the Rural Development State Office. CFR refers to Code of Federal Regulations.


Summary of Funding Purposes

Land & Bldgs. Mach. & Equip. Working Capital Infrastructure Tech. Asst./Train.

Rural Housing and Community Facilities Programs

Single-Family Housing Direct Loans (including Self-Help Loans) ♦

Single-Family Housing Loan Guarantees ♦

Single-Family Housing Repair Loans/Grants ♦

Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants ♦

Rural Rental Housing Direct Loans ♦ ♦

Rural Rental Housing Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦

Housing Preservation Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Farm Labor Housing Loans/Grants ♦ ♦

Community Facilities Direct Loans, Loan Guarantees, Grants* ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Community Development Initiative ♦

Rural Business and Cooperative Programs

Business and Industry Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Business Development Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Intermediary Relending Program Loans ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Cooperative Development Grants ♦ ♦

Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grants ♦

Value-Added Producer Grants ♦ ♦ ♦

Rural Energy for America Program Loan Guarantees/Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program Loan Guarantees

Repowering Assistance Program

Advanced Biofuel Payment Program

Rural Utilities Programs

Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loans, Loan Guarantees, Grants ♦ ♦ ♦

Solid Waste Management Grants ♦

Technical Assistance/Training/Circuit Rider ♦

Rural Broadband Direct Loans and Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦

Electric and Telecommunications Direct Loans/Loan Guarantees ♦ ♦ ♦

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loans/Grants ♦ ♦

Community Connect Grants ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

* Initial operating expenses are eligible in conjunction with the financing of an eligible community facility project. However, grant funds may not be used to fund initial operating expenses.


AlabamaMontgomery, AL(334) 279-3400

IdahoBoise, ID(208) 378-5623

MinnesotaSt. Paul, MN(651) 602-7800

North DakotaBismarck, ND(701) 530-2037

UtahSalt Lake City, UT(801) 524-4320

AlaskaPalmer, AK(907) 761-7705

IllinoisChampaign, IL(217) 403-6200

MississippiJackson, MS(601) 965-4316

OhioColumbus, OH(614) 255-2500

Vermont-New HampshireMontpelier, VT(802) 828-6000

ArizonaPhoenix, AZ(602) 280-8717

IndianaIndianapolis, IN(317) 290-3100

MissouriColumbia, MO(573) 876-0976

OklahomaStillwater, OK(405) 742-1000

VirginiaRichmond, VA(804) 287-1552

ArkansasLittle Rock, AR(501) 301-3200

IowaDes Moines, IA(515) 284-4663

MontanaBozeman, MT(406) 585-2580

OregonPortland, OR(503) 414-3300

WashingtonOlympia, WA(360) 704-7740

CaliforniaDavis, CA(530) 792-5800

KansasTopeka, KS(785) 271-2700

NebraskaLincoln, NE(402) 437-5551

PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, PA(717) 237-2299

West VirginiaMorgantown, WV(304) 284-4860

ColoradoLakewood, CO(720) 544-2915

KentuckyLexington, KY(859) 224-7300

NevadaCarson City, NV(775) 887-1222

Puerto RicoSan Juan, PR(787) 766-5095

WisconsinStevens Point, WI(715) 345-7600

Delaware-MarylandDover, DE(302) 857-3580

LouisianaAlexandria, LA(318) 473-7921

New JerseyMt. Laurel, NJ(856) 787-7700

South CarolinaColumbia, SC(803) 765-5163

WyomingCasper, WY(307) 233-6700

Florida-Virgin IslandsGainesville, FL(352) 338-3402

MaineBangor, ME(207) 990-9160

New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM(505) 761-4950

South DakotaHuron, SD(605) 352-1100

GeorgiaAthens, GA(706) 546-2162

Mass.-Rhode Island-ConnecticutAmherst, MA(413) 253-4300

New YorkSyracuse, NY(315) 477-6400

TennesseeNashville, TN(615) 783-1300

Hawaii-Western PacificHilo, HI(808) 933-8380

MichiganEast Lansing, MI(517) 324-5190

North CarolinaRaleigh, NC(919) 873-2000

TexasTemple, TX(254) 742-1084

USDA Rural Development State Offices

Contact us to learn more at:

USDA Rural DevelopmentNational OfficeMail Stop 01071400 Independence Avenue SWWashington, DC 20250-0107

1 (800) 670-6553 (toll free)

www.rd.usda.gov

USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities.

Official, system-of-record funding data for this report was provided by the USDA Rural Development National Financial and Accounting Operations Center, St. Louis, Missouri. Phone: (314) 457-4152.

Non-Discrimination Policy

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected] (link sends e-mail).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Non-Endorsement Disclaimer

Mention of a trade name or brand name does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by USDA over similar products not named.



January 2017

usda’s 2016 annual progress report - usda rural development · usda rural development 2016...

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